Diabetes decisions — 2026

The Board has decided to remand the claim for diabetes mellitus due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between PTSD and weight gain, which may impact the determination of service connection.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of beneficiary travel expenses related to ambulance transportation on August 23, 2024 is granted. The Board found that the care was authorized by a VAMC and emergent in nature, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has found a duty to assist error occurred and remands the case for a VA examination to assess whether the Veteran needs regular aid and attendance and/or is permanently housebound due solely to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service connection claims for peripheral vascular disease, bilateral hearing loss, type 2 diabetes mellitus, bilateral lower extremity diabetic neuropathy, erectile dysfunction, right trench foot, stroke, and voiding dysfunction have all been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of current disabilities or a nexus to service.,The Veteran's peripheral vascular disease was not shown as chronic in service and there is no evidence of continuity of symptomatology post-service. His bilateral hearing loss does not meet VA standards for disability, and his type 2 diabetes mellitus cannot be presumed due to exposure to herbicide agents during service. The Board also found that the Veteran did not have boots on the ground service in Vietnam.,The Veteran's claims were denied as there was no medical evidence of a nexus between any current disabilities and service.

The Veteran's service-connected right and left upper extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy, as well as an eye condition secondary to her diabetes, have been granted. However, the rating for her diabetes mellitus remains at 40 percent.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction is being remanded due to the Regional Office failing to obtain private medical records, particularly those from his non-VA primary care provider and hospitalizations in 2022 and 2023.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and increased ratings have been denied. The earliest possible effective date for the grant of service connection is August 10, 2022, due to the PACT Act.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to April 21, 2023, for his grant of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU). The decision found that no evidence or claims related to PTSD could be construed as raising a TDIU claim prior to this date.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error in obtaining an inadequate medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction caused or aggravated his obstructive sleep apnea. The claim is now pending for further review.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted a 10 percent rating. The Veteran's Type II diabetes mellitus is granted a 10 percent rating, but the Board remanded for further evaluation of other service-connected disabilities that may affect employment. Basic eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35 is granted.

The Veteran's death was not caused by any service-connected disability, and the criteria for DIC under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 were not met.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions and further examination is required.

The appeal is dismissed as the Veteran did not contest any of the assigned ratings or effective dates in his appeal, and TDIU was not part of the issues appealed.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus was granted an initial evaluation of 20 percent prior to September 2, 2022. From that date, the Veteran is now entitled to a 40 percent evaluation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, peripheral neuropathy, diabetes, hypertension, and tinnitus, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU based on the combined rating of his service-connected conditions.

Your appeal has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death. The claims for service connection have not been decided.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU was denied as the September 2009 denial became final and there is no evidence of unemployability due to service-connected disabilities within one year prior to August 28, 2025.

The Veteran's appeal for higher evaluations and service connection for various conditions, including lung cancer presumed due to exposure in Thailand under the PACT Act, was granted. Effective dates were assigned for service connection and other claims.

The Board has dismissed the appeal regarding a rating in excess of 20 percent for service-connected diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction and peripheral arterial disease, bilateral lower extremities, as well as whether a separate compensable rating is warranted for service-connected peripheral arterial disease, left lower extremity.

The Veteran's lung cancer and diabetes mellitus type II are granted as presumptively service-connected due to exposure to burn pits during military service, specifically under the PACT Act. The claim for diabetes mellitus is denied.