Diabetes decisions — 2024

The Veteran's claim for an extraschedular total disability rating due to individual unemployability prior to August 25, 2014 was denied as he did not meet the criteria for such a rating based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities were denied as there was no evidence of a claim prior to October 17, 2014.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus, bilateral eye condition, and left knee condition due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors. The VA will seek new medical opinions on the claimed conditions in relation to service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus has been readjudicated due to new evidence received. The claim is granted as the new evidence does not support a finding of direct exposure to herbicides in Korea, which would have allowed for presumptive service connection under VA regulations.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The appeal regarding TDIU and DEA was dismissed as it pertained to an adjacent appeal.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities meet the schedular criteria for entitlement to individual unemployability due to two or more disabilities, one of which is 40 percent or more with a combined evaluation of 70 percent or more. However, the Board finds that the March 2022 VA examination and opinion are inadequate as they do not address how the Veteran's bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy impacts his ability to perform sedentary work in an 8-hour workday.

The Board has granted an effective date of October 1, 2001 for the award of DIC benefits based on the Veteran's death due to service-connected conditions presumptively associated with herbicide exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal as his VA Form 9 was not received within a year of the June 2018 rating decision or within 60 days of the April 2020 SOC.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an addendum opinion regarding the Veteran's diabetes claim, as the current medical opinions are inadequate and do not address all theories of entitlement.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and sleep apnea due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors. The Veteran is presumed to have been exposed to environmental toxins during his service in Southwest Asia, which may be considered presumptively related to his current disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation from May 12, 2021 to May 11, 2022.

The appeal of the initial rating assigned for bladder cancer is dismissed. The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II and its associated neuropathies are remanded.

The Board has dismissed the issues of entitlement to service connection for diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, a kidney condition, sinus bradycardia, a skin rash, a bladder disability, and an enlarged prostate as the Veteran did not timely file a VA Form 10182 with respect to the July 2019 and March 2021 rating decisions.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to lung cancer with metastases, as well as for congestive heart failure, diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, CAD, and PVD. The conditions were not found to be related to service or exposure to herbicides.

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

The Veteran withdrew his claims for an initial compensable disability rating for hypertension and an initial disability rating greater than 20-percent for diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction. As a result, the appeals are dismissed.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and leukemia as there was no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides like Agent Orange or other presumptive conditions. The Veteran's diagnoses were not shown to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM) is being remanded due to a duty to assist error. The AOJ must obtain an addendum opinion from a clinician regarding the etiology of the Veteran's DM, including whether it is related to his exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for diabetes, respiratory disorder, ischemic heart disease, and pancreatic cancer due to in-service exposure to herbicide agents. The AOJ failed to verify the Veteran's reported exposure at the Naval Hospital, Great Lakes, and MCAS Futenma.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus with hyperlipidemia is rated at 20% and denied an increased rating.,The Veteran's hypertension is rated at 10% and denied an increased rating.,The Veteran's chronic renal disease (claimed as kidney failure) does not meet the criteria for an earlier effective date prior to July 26, 2018.