Diabetes decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration, including obtaining a VA medical opinion regarding service connection for cause of death and dependency and indemnity compensation under 38 USC 1151.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for the 20% disability rating for diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction and a 60% disability rating for diabetic nephropathy is dismissed as moot because he has already received these ratings.

The Veteran's service connection for hypertension is granted. The initial rating for diabetes was increased to 40 percent effective July 1, 2021, and the earlier effective date claim for TDIU is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus type II, and coronary artery disease on a direct basis prior to August 10, 2022 due to herbicide exposure during active service in Guam.

The Veteran's death was caused by his hypertension, which is considered a service-connected condition. The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for diabetes with retinopathy was denied. A TDIU and DEA were granted effective August 5, 2021.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding herbicide exposure during the Veteran's service in Korea. The Veteran asserts he was exposed to herbicides while making trips from his base at Camp Howze to the Demilitarized Zone.

The Veteran's service connection for coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus type II is granted under the provisions of the PACT Act, effective August 10, 2022.

The Board has denied service connection for left lower extremity diabetic neuropathy and right lower extremity diabetic neuropathy, finding no current diagnosis of these conditions. Service connection for renal insufficiency is remanded due to inadequate opinion regarding aggravation by service-connected coronary artery disease.

The Veteran's diabetes is rated at 20 percent, and the issues of right upper extremity, left upper extremity, right lower extremity, and left lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy are all rated at 20 percent. The rating for residuals of cerebrovascular accident (CVA) is also rated at 20 percent prior to May 17, 2017.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, is granted secondary to service-connected PTSD.,The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is also granted as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of diabetes mellitus, type II is remanded due to the PACT Act requiring a TERA examination. The appeals regarding duty-to-assist error and proposed reductions in ratings are dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities has been denied as his conditions do not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection for various conditions related to diabetes mellitus type II, congestive heart failure, diabetic neuropathy, kidney function, and eye problems have been dismissed. The appeal for head injury (claimed as traumatic brain injury) is remanded.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II and ischemic heart disease are granted as presumptively related to herbicide agent exposure during service in Guam, effective from January 9, 1962 to July 31, 1980. This decision is based on the PACT Act of 2022.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development to verify whether the Veteran performed classified temporary duty assignments and/or Special Operations assignments in the Republic of Vietnam and Thailand during his period of active service, as well as requesting unit histories from the 100th Airborne Missile Maintenance Squadron.

The Board has remanded the case due to errors in the decision and needs further development, including obtaining medical opinions on the Veteran's service connection claims.

The Board has granted service connection for hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus with diabetic retinopathy, and diabetic neuropathy of the lower extremities and right upper extremity. However, an earlier effective date is denied.

The Board finds that the Veteran's claims for service connection related to arthritis of the upper and lower extremities, as well as cervical and thoracolumbar spine conditions are remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The claims were denied because there was no verification of exposure to toxins at Fort McClellan.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities as there was no evidence linking these conditions to service.,Service connection is not granted because the Veteran did not have a chronic condition during or within one year after service that could be presumed due to exposure. The conditions were first diagnosed decades after separation.