Diabetes decisions — 2024

The Board has granted service connection for ischemic heart disease, prostate cancer residuals, and diabetes mellitus due to herbicide exposure. The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities is also granted as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death, and the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of the appeal at this time.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to May 15, 2017, and March 5, 2018, for service connection were denied as the submitted evidence did not relate to any disputed elements of his claims.,The Board found that the submitted records from January 2019 did not address an element in dispute or affect the outcome of the case.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD and emphysema due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The VA examiner is requested to review the Veteran's STRs, lay statements, and provide an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not that his COPD and emphysema had its onset during or is otherwise related to in-service bronchitis.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding service connection for diabetes, duodenal ulcer, hearing loss, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The Board dismissed the appeal.

The Veteran's lumbar spine, cervical spine, right shoulder and arm, hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, and cataracts disabilities are being remanded for additional development to address the adequacy of the medical opinions provided.,The Veteran is seeking service connection for his current lumbar spine, cervical spine, right shoulder and arm, hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, and cataracts disabilities. The claims are being remanded due to duty-to-assist errors in obtaining adequate medical opinions regarding the onset and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for DM-II with ED and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, status post CABG, are denied as the evidence does not support the need for higher disability ratings.

The Veteran's claim for a higher level of SMC was denied as his service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for such an increase.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is granted service connection. The cause of the Veteran's death, including his diabetes, is also granted service connection. However, the lung disability claim (claimed as bronchitis) is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's cause of death, including acute lymphoma, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus, is granted as a result of presumed exposure to toxins during service in the Southwest Asia theater. Service connection for these conditions is granted due to the PACT Act.

Service connection for coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus is granted effective August 10, 2022. Service connection for neuropathy of the lower extremities remains pending.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, history of heart murmur, and sleep disorder (claimed as sleep apnea) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for a higher evaluation for diabetic retinopathy was denied, and the reduction of his evaluation from 10% to noncompensable effective December 12, 2019 is also denied.,An earlier effective date prior to March 10, 2016, for the grant of a higher rating of 10 percent for diabetic retinopathy was not granted. The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for diabetic retinopathy before December 12, 2019 and compensable thereafter is also denied.,The reduction from 10% to noncompensable effective December 12, 2019 was found proper based on improvement in the Veteran's condition.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for diabetic neuropathy of the left lower extremity was denied as his condition did not meet the criteria for a higher than 10 percent evaluation.

The Board has denied service connection for Parkinson's disease and remanded the issue of service connection for diabetes mellitus. The Veteran is presumed to have in-service toxic exposure due to his military service.

The Veteran's Type II diabetes mellitus has been rated at 40 percent, and a separate 20 percent rating for erectile dysfunction associated with it is granted. The bilateral eye disability remains at 60 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease with chronic congestive heart failure and Type II diabetes mellitus. The appeal for TDIU is granted.

The Veteran's claim for diabetes mellitus was denied as he did not have a current diagnosis of the condition.,Service connection for colon cancer and actinic keratosis is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's DMII is currently rated at 20 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,PTSD has been increased to 70 percent from March 17, 2023. The Veteran's PTSD symptomatology does not more nearly approximate total occupational and social impairment.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete medical opinions and the need for additional VA treatment records.