Diabetes decisions — 2024

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection on all issues related to arthritis, cyst or benign growth, residuals of right-hand shrapnel wound, squamous cell cancer on the back, residual scars on lower back, hearing loss, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), diabetes mellitus, type II, erectile dysfunction, gastritis, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

The Veteran's pituitary adenoma, gynecomastia, hypothyroidism, hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II (DMII), hypogonadism, and upper gastrointestinal (GI) ulcer with hemorrhaging are all granted as service-connected due to in-service exposure to ionizing radiation.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease is granted as related to his service, including exposure to Agent Orange.,Bladder cancer was dismissed due to the grant of service connection for bladder cancer in a separate decision.,Diabetes mellitus type 2 is granted on both presumptive and direct bases due to exposure to Agent Orange.,Left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is granted as secondary to diabetes mellitus.,Right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is granted as secondary to diabetes mellitus.,Right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy is remanded for further review.,Left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy is remanded for further review.

The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus is currently rated at 20 percent, but the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as required by DC 7913.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities cause the need for aid and attendance of another person, leading to a grant of SMC based on A&A effective September 28, 2016.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus type II, sterility, prostate cancer, ischemic heart disease, and migraine have been remanded due to the need for further review of the evidence.,Claims for cervical strain, lumbar strain, right knee condition, left knee condition, right upper extremity radiculopathy, left upper extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy are also being remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's service connection claims for diabetes, hypertension, and arthritis due to unclear causation.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus type II, sterility, prostate cancer, ischemic heart disease, and migraine have been remanded due to the need for further review of the evidence.,Claims for cervical strain, lumbar strain, right knee condition, left knee condition, right upper extremity radiculopathy, left upper extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy are also being remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetic neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities have been granted effective March 5, 2014. The initial ratings for these conditions remain at 10%.

The Veteran's service connection claim for diabetes mellitus, type II, and tinnitus was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection based on direct service connection or continuity of symptomatology.

The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus is granted on a presumptive basis due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents in the Republic of Vietnam.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU is remanded due to the need to obtain his private medical records, which were not obtained prior to the March 2021 rating decision. The Board will consider these records in determining whether he qualifies for a TDIU.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II as there is no current diagnosis of this condition and the evidence does not support a link to his military service.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, has only required restricted diet and an oral glycemic agent. The Board found that the evidence did not show regulation of activities as part of the medical management for his diabetes mellitus, type II, which is necessary to warrant a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus and PTSD due to an error in providing notice of his right to a hearing before the AOJ.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection on multiple conditions are being remanded due to a failure to obtain private medical records.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including posttraumatic stress disorder, valvular heart disease with congestive heart failure, intraparenchymal hemorrhagic stroke of the left parietal lobe, diabetes mellitus type II, and tinnitus, render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board has remanded the case due to a duty-to-assist error in not obtaining SSA records.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, is granted as secondary to his service-connected exertional rhabdomyolysis. The Board finds the evidence persuasive in favor of a finding that the Veteran's service-connected disability caused him to gain weight and develop obesity, which was a substantial factor in causing his diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Veteran's claim for SMC based on the need for aid and attendance or housebound status is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error. The service connection claim for a back disability as secondary to his bilateral knee disabilities is also remanded.