Diabetes decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, nose bleeds, sleep apnea, bilateral foot rash, and a vision condition due to inadequate medical opinions. The Veteran was exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune during service.

The Veteran's rating for diabetic nephropathy was reduced from 60 percent to noncompensable effective April 12, 2017. The Board found that the reduction was improper and restored the 60 percent rating.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development, including obtaining relevant private treatment records and providing an updated medical opinion to rate the severity of the appellant's diabetes mellitus and associated neuropathies.

The Veteran's diabetes type 2 is granted as secondary to his service-connected right ankle disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete STRs and personnel records, as well as potential errors in duty to assist. The issues are intertwined with his back disability.

The Veteran's left shoulder condition and bilateral hearing loss claims are denied. His tinnitus claim is granted, as is his sinusitis claim due to exposure in Southwest Asia.,His diabetes mellitus type II and bilateral hearing loss claims require additional development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hyperlipidemia, morbid obesity, asthma bronchial, diabetes mellitus, multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and major depressive disorder are all denied as there is no evidence of a disease or injury in service that could be linked to these conditions.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for hyperlipidemia and morbid obesity are also denied because these conditions are not recognized as disabilities for VA benefits purposes.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to insufficient evidence of regulation of activities as advised by medical providers.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, finding that it is proximately due to or the result of his service-connected hypertension.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right lower extremity diabetic neuropathy on a secondary basis to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction, finding that the evidence did not show regulation of activities due to the condition.

The appeal concerning type II diabetes mellitus has been withdrawn and is therefore dismissed. The appeal for hypertension is remanded.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection of high triglycerides, bilateral hearing loss, migraines, prostate cancer, leukemia, right knee disability, and pseudofolliculitis barbae. Service connection was granted for hypertension and chronic kidney disease on a secondary basis due to hypertension. The appeal for a sleep disorder (including insomnia) was denied as there is no evidence linking it to service or any service-connected condition. Service connection for left knee disability was also denied.

The Veteran's cause of death is remanded due to a duty to assist error. The Board requests an updated medical opinion to determine the cause of his glioblastoma and whether his service-connected conditions contributed to his death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and ischemic heart disease, finding no current diagnoses of these conditions in the record.

The Board granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left and right knee disabilities with obesity serving as an intermediate step.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is found to have caused her current diagnoses of obstructive sleep apnea and diabetes mellitus type II, warranting a grant of secondary service connection for both conditions.,The Veteran's PTSD disability currently rated at 70 percent is denied as the evidence does not support an increase to a higher rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities require the need for regular aid and attendance of another person, which has been granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for his service-connected conditions, including diabetic retinopathy and diabetic nephropathy. The claim for SMC based on regular aid and attendance was also denied.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as presumptively service-connected due to exposure to herbicide agents during his service in Thailand. His unspecified depressive disorder and diabetic peripheral neuropathy are also granted, with the latter two conditions being presumed based on their association with diabetes mellitus.