Diabetes decisions — 2024

The Veteran's hypertension, ischemic heart disease (coronary artery disease), diabetes mellitus type 2, and bilateral hearing loss are all granted as they are presumed to be related to herbicide exposure during service.,Service connection for OSA, an acquired psychiatric disability, and erectile dysfunction is also granted.

The Board denied service connection for left upper extremity diabetic neuropathy, bilateral hearing loss, and kidney disability due to lack of a current diagnosis and no causal relationship between the disabilities and service.

The Board denied service connection for Guillain-Barre syndrome, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and heart condition as there was no evidence of onset or relationship to active service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for coronary artery disease and type II diabetes mellitus were denied as there was no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides or other causative factors.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied except for the RUE diabetic neuropathy, which was granted a 40 percent rating effective from July 25, 2019. The LLE diabetic neuropathy claim is also granted with a 40 percent rating since January 20, 2020.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee condition, right knee condition, left foot condition, and right foot condition as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected back disability. The Board also granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type 2 and hypertension as secondary to his service-connected back disability.

The Board has identified errors in the prior decision and has ordered remand for further investigation into the Veteran's claimed service exposure to herbicide agents, particularly during his TDY assignments in Vietnam. The issues of diabetes mellitus type II, Parkinson's disease, hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, Meniere's disease, aortic and vein disability, left lower diabetic peripheral neuropathy, right lower diabetic peripheral neuropathy, sleep apnea, and vertigo are all remanded for further review.

The appeals seeking increased ratings for various service-connected conditions have been dismissed. A rating of 70 percent, but no higher, has been granted for PTSD effective from March 11, 2024.

The Veteran's service connection claim for DMII is granted. The claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder and TDIU are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II was granted with an effective date of July 25, 2019. The decision is based on new and relevant evidence submitted by the Veteran.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's degenerative changes of the lumbar spine at L3-L5 and S1 are now rated at 40 percent, effective March 19, 2021. The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy is now rated at 40 percent, effective March 19, 2021.,The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy is now rated at 40 percent, effective March 19, 2021. Service connection for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, CAD, PTSD, sleep apnea, and headaches are all granted.

The Board has identified errors in the pre-decisional duty to assist and remanded the cases for additional development related to the Veteran's exposure claims. The service connection claims are being remanded due to these issues.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II due to the PACT Act, but remanded for further development regarding direct service connection.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for PTSD was denied.,The Board found that the evidence did not show total occupational and social impairment, thus a higher rating in excess of 70 percent is not warranted.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, is granted on a presumptive basis due to herbicide exposure in Thailand. The Board has also remanded for an opinion regarding secondary service connection for retinopathy.

The Veteran's DMII is currently rated as 20 percent disabling, and the issues with his right and left lower extremity neuropathy are each rated at 10 percent.,The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the issues of increased ratings for DMII and both lower extremity neuropathies.

The Board is remanding the issues of whether the reduction in rating from 40 percent to 20 percent for diabetic peripheral neuropathy, sciatic nerve, right lower extremity and left lower extremity was proper. The issues are also being remanded due to their inextricability with the issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus type II, bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy were denied effective January 14, 2022.,All related issues of entitlement to earlier effective dates have been denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently assigned a noncompensable rating, and the claim for a compensable evaluation is denied.,There is no evidence of a current left hip disability during or approximate to the period on appeal. The claim for service connection for a left hip condition is denied.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder with alcohol dependency is remanded as there was no specific assertion of PTSD and VA examination is needed to clarify the nature and etiology of the claimed psychiatric disorder, including whether it is secondary to or caused by a service-connected disability.,The Veteran's hypertension claim is remanded due to his assertion that it is secondary to an acquired psychiatric disorder. Service connection for diabetes mellitus (to include as secondary to hypertension) is also remanded based on the Veteran's assertion of its secondary relationship to hypertension.,Right and left lower extremity diabetic neuropathy are remanded as they are claimed to be secondary to diabetes mellitus, which is itself a claim that requires further development.,The Veteran's right and left lower extremity diabetic neuropathy claims are remanded based on the same reasoning as his diabetes mellitus claim.