Diabetes Board decisions

Service connection is granted for ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus type II, tinnitus, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and bilateral hearing loss due to herbicide exposure.,The Veteran's current diagnoses of ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus type II, tinnitus, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and bilateral hearing loss are presumed to be related to his service in Vietnam.

The Veteran's diabetes is presumed to be related to his service in Vietnam, but the record is unclear about whether he has a current diagnosis. The case is remanded for further examination.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis is at least as likely as not related to his time in service. The evidence shows the Veteran’s diabetes mellitus began manifesting within a year of his separation from active duty.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for pancreatitis as secondary to his service-connected type 2 diabetes mellitus, an initial rating higher than 20 percent for type 2 diabetes mellitus, and an initial rating higher than 20 percent for the residuals of prostate cancer. The TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to uncertainty about whether the Veteran served within the 12 nautical mile territorial sea of Vietnam while aboard ships, which could affect his presumptive service connection for diabetes.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding no causal link between his military service and his underlying causes of death (acute coronary insufficiency due to non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus).

The Veteran's mesothelioma claim was denied as there is no current evidence of the condition.,Obstructive sleep apnea was not found to be related to service, and the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is rated at 40 percent, but no higher. The initial ratings for peripheral neuropathy in the right and left lower extremities are denied.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction is granted as service-connected due to herbicide exposure at Korat Air Force Base in Thailand.

The Board has granted initial ratings of 20 percent for each lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy, effective April 17, 2017. The right and left upper extremities were denied higher ratings.

The Board has determined that the April 2013 rating decision denying service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is not final due to incorrect address. The case is now remanded for further evaluation regarding the relationship between service-connected conditions and the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him in need of regular aid and attendance due to severe limitations, including difficulty dressing, bathing, preparing food, moving about his house, attending to the wants of nature, and avoiding basic hazards around his home. The Board has granted entitlement to Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) based on the need for aid and attendance.

The Board denied the Veteran's requests for earlier effective dates for service connection and compensation awards, finding that no formal claim was filed within one year of his initial intent to file. The earliest effective date assigned is May 4, 2017.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection of various conditions have been dismissed. The Board has also remanded claims for right ankle and left knee disabilities, as well as a TDIU rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of transient ischemic attack (stroke-TIA) and hypertension are being remanded. The TDIU claim is also being remanded due to the interrelated nature with other pending issues.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), diabetes mellitus, multiple myeloma, ischemic heart disease, and hypertension are being remanded due to the need for additional development.,The Veteran seeks service connection for diabetes mellitus, which he contends is related to herbicide exposure. The Board notes that while there is no evidence of in-country service in Vietnam, the Veteran served in Korea during a period when herbicides were used along the DMZ. Further verification of his claimed exposure is needed.,The Veteran seeks service connection for multiple myeloma, which he contends is related to herbicide exposure. The Board notes that while there is no evidence of in-country service in Vietnam, the Veteran served in Korea during a period when herbicides were used along the DMZ. Further verification of his claimed exposure is needed.,The Veteran seeks service connection for ischemic heart disease, which he contends is related to herbicide exposure. The Board notes that while there is no evidence of in-country service in Vietnam, the Veteran served in Korea during a period when herbicides were used along the DMZ. Further verification of his claimed exposure is needed.,The Veteran seeks service connection for hypertension, which he contends is secondary to diabetes mellitus. The Board notes that while there is no evidence of in-country service in Vietnam, the Veteran served in Korea during a period when herbicides were used along the DMZ. Further verification of his claimed exposure is needed.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The claim for an increased rating for diabetes mellitus type II was denied as the evidence did not show that it required regulation of activities, which would warrant a higher rating. Service connection for foot arthritis and leg arthritis, to include as secondary to diabetes mellitus type II, was also denied.

The Veteran's PTSD and depression are currently rated as 70% disabling, but the Board finds that they do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating.,Service connection is granted for sleep apnea. The Board finds that the Veteran’s symptoms likely had their onset during service.,Service connection is denied for diabetes mellitus and right leg numbness as there is no evidence of these conditions in service records, and they are not related to service.,The Veteran's hypertension was diagnosed after his period of active duty service. The Board finds that the VA examiner’s opinion is inadequate due to a lack of contemporaneous medical records.

The Board has remanded the cases of renal cancer, diabetes mellitus (DM), and lung cancer for additional development. The claims are also remanded due to a lack of an opinion regarding whether these conditions were related to in-service exposure to chemicals.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II as a result of exposure to herbicides while serving aboard the USS Rupertus within 12 nautical miles of the coast of South Vietnam.