Diabetes Board decisions

The Veteran is granted an effective date of August 5, 2002 for the grant of SMC based on housebound criteria. The Veteran is also granted SMC based on need of aid and attendance from February 1, 2005.,The Veteran's service-connected PTSD alone prevented him from securing and following substantially gainful employment from August 5, 2002 to June 22, 2008. From February 1, 2005 he was in need of regular aid and attendance due to an inability to complete activities of daily living and manage finances.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for coronary artery disease and diabetes, both potentially related to herbicide agent exposure during his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents, specifically Agent Pink at Don Muang Royal Thai Air Force Base and Clark AFB in the Philippines.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease and diabetes are presumed to be related to his exposure to toxic herbicides during service, thus granting service connection for these conditions under accrued benefits.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during his active service is presumed, and he currently has type II diabetes mellitus. Therefore, the claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of prostate cancer and type 2 diabetes mellitus, finding that the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents in service at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base (RTAFB) and Camp Friendship.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for further development regarding his exposure to herbicide agents and whether he served in the Republic of Vietnam under the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019. The claims will also be reviewed for secondary service connection.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection of peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities due to a withdrawal by the Veteran's representative. The appeals for diabetes and Parkinson's disease are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to lack of substantial compliance with previous instructions. The appeal is now focused on verifying if the Veteran was exposed to Agent Orange during his service in Thailand, which would allow for a presumption of service connection.

The Veteran's DM2 and coronary artery disease are granted service connection due to presumed herbicide exposure. The Board has found the Veteran should be afforded VA examinations to determine if his hypertension, neuropathy of upper and lower extremities is related to his active service including presumed herbicide agent exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the cause of the Veteran's death and its relationship to service or herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type two, hypertension, and renal disease are granted service connection. His bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is also granted service connection. The Veteran's right and left knee patellofemoral syndromes have been granted increased ratings.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of type II diabetes mellitus was denied as there is no pending appeal for a CUE claim and the Nehmer provisions do not apply in this case.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus is found to have contributed substantially or materially to his death from metastatic esophageal cancer, and the Board grants service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, finding that there was no evidence of herbicide exposure and insufficient medical evidence to establish a link between his current condition and service.

The Board has granted service connection for a psychiatric disorder (depressive disorder) as secondary to service-connected disabilities, and for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to service-connected disabilities. The claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus and lumbar spine disability have been reopened due to new and material evidence, but the applications remain denied. Service connection is granted for these conditions. The Veteran's coronary artery disease remains rated at 60% and hypertension at 10%. These ratings are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to exposure to herbicide agents and toxins, including DMII, peripheral neuropathy of upper and lower extremities, and hysterectomy. The claims are being reviewed again as there is insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's exposure at Fort McClellan.

The Board has granted service connection for right shoulder impingement syndrome with rotator cuff tendonitis and diabetes mellitus type II (secondary to herbicide agent exposure) based on the Veteran's in-service injury and presumed exposure to herbicide agents while serving off the coast of Vietnam.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims for service connection, including those involving diabetes mellitus and hypertension. The main issue is whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen these claims.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II on a presumptive basis due to exposure to herbicide agents during service in the inland waterways of the Republic of Vietnam.