Diabetes decisions — 2026

The Veteran's TDIU was granted effective October 24, 2017. The attorney fees are eligible based on the past-due benefits awarded in the May 2021 rating decision.

The Veteran withdrew all appeals regarding his service-connected conditions and related disability ratings, effective as of March 16, 2026.

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

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II was not incurred during his period of active service and is unrelated to service. The Board denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has identified errors in the rating decision and is remanding the case for further development to ensure all relevant evidence is considered.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II and hypertension, both service-connected due to direct evidence, have been granted effective from March 14, 2023.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to potential exposure to hazardous materials and Agent Orange during military service. The Veteran's Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record (ILER) needs to be obtained, and further development is needed concerning his alleged exposure to hazardous air contaminants at Hill Air Force Base, Agent Orange on C-123 Aircraft, dioxins at Kadena Air Base, and chemicals in the drinking water at Ellsworth Air Force Base.

The Board has granted effective dates of October 14, 2003 for the awards of service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy associated with diabetes mellitus type II.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a duty to assist error, specifically regarding the Veteran's exposure to mercury in dental amalgams and asbestos during service. A VA medical opinion is needed to determine if these exposures are related to his claimed disabilities.

The Veteran is granted SMC at the rate of 50% for his service-connected conditions from April 20, 2020 to June 7, 2021.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, left upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, right upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and diabetes mellitus have all been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a current diagnosis of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to errors in developing evidence related to possible ionizing radiation exposure and TERA participation. The claim will be reconsidered with proper development of this information.

The appeal concerning earlier effective dates for service connection and disability ratings has been dismissed.,No new evidence or arguments were provided to support the claims.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of December 12, 2017 for the award of service connection for dry eye syndrome. The issue of entitlement to an initial compensable rating for dry eye syndrome is remanded.

The Board granted an effective date of April 10, 2018 for the establishment of service connection for diabetes mellitus II (DMII), finding that the Veteran's condition was directly related to his military service and exposure to toxic substances.

The Veteran's initial ratings for diabetes and diabetic retinopathy were denied. The Board found that the current ratings adequately reflect the severity of his symptoms, including his need for eye injections to treat his diabetic retinopathy.

The Veteran's TDIU and DEA claims are remanded due to duty-to-assist errors prior to the rating decision on review. The effective date for TDIU is set at January 31, 2021, based on the last day of employment. However, the RO needs to obtain SSA records regarding earnings from July 2020 to January 31, 2021, to determine if the Veteran's employment was marginal.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher level of special monthly compensation (SMC) was dismissed because the October 2025 rating decision did not address this issue, and the February 2026 VA Form 10182 clearly identified the specific issue.

The Veteran's initial rating for arteriosclerotic heart disease/coronary artery disease associated with right bundle block branch (heart disease) is denied as the evidence does not show that he had heart failure symptoms from a workload of 5.0 METs or less.,The Veteran's increased rating for diabetes mellitus type two (diabetes) is denied as medical management of his diabetes does not require regulation of activities, and there are no compensable complications.,The Veteran's increased rating for hypertension is denied as the evidence shows that his diastolic blood pressure has never been predominantly 110 or more, or systolic pressure has never been predominantly 200 or more.

The Veteran's initial disability rating for diabetes mellitus, type II is being remanded due to a duty to assist error. The AOJ must schedule the Veteran for a VA examination to assess the current severity of their condition.