Diabetes decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claims for service connection for hypertension, ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus type 2, and bilateral peripheral neuropathy of both upper and lower extremities to correct duty to assist errors related to inadequate medical opinions on etiology.

The Board granted service connection for type II diabetes and coronary artery disease, both secondary to the Veteran's service-connected hypertension.

The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date prior to August 10, 2022, for service-connected conditions as the October 2024 Supplemental Claim was not a valid appeal.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes, heart conditions, chronic kidney disease (CKD), left and right lower extremity neuropathy, and headaches as the evidence did not support a direct relationship to the Veteran's active service.

The Board granted service connection for diabetes mellitus and the cause of the Veteran's death, both on a presumptive basis due to exposure to herbicide agents during active service.

The Board remands the claim for an increased evaluation in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction/impotence to provide the Veteran with a current VA examination.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for service connection and increased ratings for various conditions, except for an earlier effective date of November 10, 2020, for service connection for GERD.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a heart disability and diabetes mellitus type 2 to verify the Veteran's asserted in-service exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions, including a psychiatric disability and secondary to tinnitus, heart condition, hypertension, sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, and alcohol abuse due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board denied all claims for increased ratings, including diabetes mellitus, diabetic neuropathy of various extremities, bilateral hearing loss, otitis media, and vertigo.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and remanded the claim for thrombosis with abdominal aortic aneurysm.

The Board granted a 10 percent disability rating for diabetic retinopathy with bilateral cataracts and bilateral glaucoma, while denying increased ratings for left and right lower extremity femoral nerve diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

The Board granted a 90 percent rating for bilateral diabetic retinopathy with macular edema (both eyes), cataracts (left eye) and presence of intraocular lens (right eye) prior to December 18, 2023, but denied an increased rating from that date.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including obstructive sleep apnea, heart disability, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy, due to inadequate medical opinions regarding obesity as an intermediate step between the Veteran's service-connected TBI with nose fracture and these claimed conditions.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for sleep apnea and diabetes mellitus, type II to obtain a new VA opinion that complies with legal standards.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, diabetic nephropathy, voiding dysfunction (claimed as bladder), hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, and hypertensive heart disease with supraventricular arrhythmia to correct an error by the AOJ in satisfying its duty to assist under 38 U.S.C. § 5103A.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection for HIV, peptic ulcer disease/GERD, type II diabetes mellitus, and hypertension, but granted an effective date of December 18, 2020, for the grants of service connection for peripheral neuropathy in both upper and lower extremities.

The Board denied an initial rating for diabetes mellitus associated with herbicide exposure in excess of 20 percent, as the evidence did not support a higher rating.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes and a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, while remanding several other claims including lumbar spine disability, lower extremity radiculopathy, allergic rhinitis, nasal fracture, hemorrhoids, and insomnia.