Diabetes decisions — 2023

The Veteran's claims for service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus, recurrent skin disability to include dermatitis and eczema, hypertension, and a recurrent disability manifested by weight loss are all denied as there is no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicide agents or other presumptive conditions. The diagnoses were not shown during active service or within many years thereafter.

The Veteran's service connection claim for Type II diabetes mellitus is granted. The claims for right upper extremity, left upper extremity, right lower extremity, and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, as well as hypertension are remanded due to the need for further examination and evidence collection.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, hypertension, sleep apnea, carpal tunnel syndromes, sebaceous cyst, left hand joint pain, gallstones, and knee, shoulder, elbow, and wrist disorders. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to the Veteran's military service or exposure to burn pits.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, head tremors, trembling hands, and restless leg syndrome were denied as there was no evidence to support a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unemployable prior to September 15, 2018; rather his nonservice-connected disabilities contributed to his unemployability.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the merits have been withdrawn. The Board has remanded issues related to heart conditions, acquired psychiatric disorders (including depression), hypertension, and sleep apnea.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities and chloracne, finding that these conditions are related to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus and presumed herbicide exposure during his military service. The claims for a lumbar spine disorder, right hip disorder, and skin disorders other than chloracne have been remanded due to lack of evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the issues of diabetes mellitus, type 2; bilateral eye disability; left knee disability (reopened); kidney disability; peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities; erectile dysfunction; prostate disability; and lower back disability are still pending. The Board has remanded these issues for further development.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea. The issues of diabetes mellitus, type II; thyroid cancer, status post thyroidectomy; bowel disorder; intestinal condition; arthritis of the back; arthritis of the left foot; arthritis of the right foot; bone spurs of the right foot; and bone spurs of the left foot are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeals for Type II Diabetes Mellitus and Hypertension have been dismissed due to withdrawal. The remaining issues of PTSD, Erectile Dysfunction, Right Hip Disability, Left Hip Disability, Bilateral Retinopathy, and Lumbosacral Strain are remanded.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, urinary incontinence, sinusitis, left hip arthritis, and right hip arthritis. The reasons provided include lack of evidence linking the current disabilities to service or service-connected conditions.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, cardiac disability, hypertension, bilateral neurological disabilities of the upper and lower extremities as there was no evidence that these conditions had their onset in service or were otherwise related to an injury or disease during active duty.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disorder and diabetes mellitus, type 2. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to his active military service.,There is no credible evidence linking the Veteran’s current low back or diabetes mellitus, type 2, to his period of service.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, type II, and Parkinson's disease with hand tremor as these conditions are not related to the Veteran's active service or herbicide exposure.,There is no evidence of a current diagnosis of any of the claimed conditions.

The Board has denied service connection for a kidney disorder and remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremity, and erectile dysfunction.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetic neuropathy of the left lower extremity involving the femoral nerve was not productive of moderate incomplete paralysis prior to April 13, 2022. A 20 percent evaluation is granted for this condition from April 13, 2022, to January 18, 2023.,Since April 13, 2022, the Veteran's diabetic neuropathy of the left lower extremity involving the femoral nerve has been productive of moderate incomplete paralysis. A higher evaluation is denied on or after this date.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions and records to clarify the nature and severity of his service-connected conditions during the period on appeal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, lower back pain disability, left and right lower extremity pain disabilities are not related to service. The Board has ordered new VA examinations for these conditions.

The Board has dismissed all service connection claims due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's right upper extremity and left upper extremity disabilities were not found to be related to service.,Diabetic nephropathy was not shown to have been incurred in service or due to a service-connected disability.