Diabetes Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, warranting a TDIU.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is presumed to have been incurred in service due to his exposure to herbicide agents during his Vietnam service.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection have been dismissed due to his death.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and a heart disorder, finding no evidence of chronic symptoms in service or within one year after separation. The Veteran's current diagnoses were not related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected type II diabetes mellitus substantially and materially contributed to his death from a cerebrovascular accident. The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death under 38 U.S.C. § 1310, rendering moot the issue of entitlement to DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for diabetes, right knee disorder, and left knee disorder due to new evidence received by the Veteran.

The Board denied an initial rating higher than 10 percent for right knee chondromalacia patella and granted a separate 10 percent rating for right knee arthritis. The claims for service connection for CFS, left knee disorder, diabetes mellitus (DM), glaucoma as due to DM, and asthma were all denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's requests to reopen his previously denied claims for service connection for coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus type 2, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, all secondary to diabetes mellitus type 2. The new evidence submitted did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 50 percent for advanced diabetic retinopathy right with right eye retinal detachment and corneal decompensation with scarring and left eye diabetic retinopathy status post cataract surgery was denied. The Veteran is also entitled to special monthly compensation based on blindness in one eye having only light perception.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU as his earnings exceeded the poverty threshold and he had multiple service-connected disabilities, but was not unemployable due to his conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus type II and peripheral neuropathy in both lower extremities due to potential herbicide exposure near the DMZ in South Korea.

The Veteran's service connection claim for Type II diabetes mellitus is denied as there is no evidence of a relationship between his military service and the development of this condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to the need for additional development and review of new evidence.

The Veteran's service connection claims for coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension are granted. The appeal as to PTSD is dismissed. An additional remand is ordered for a VA medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's hypertension.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not physically or mentally preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment, including performing sedentary work.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis is at least in equipoise with the evidence and that his exposure to herbicide agents during service satisfies the presumptive service connection criteria.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right renal cyst / diabetic cystopathy, finding that it is caused by his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the service connection claims for glaucoma and diabetes mellitus due to insufficient evidence regarding their onset during military service.

The Board has remanded the claims of diabetes mellitus, type II; headaches; hypertension; a psychiatric disorder (including PTSD); and sleep apnea due to the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents or toxic chemicals during service.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for diabetes mellitus, type II and right-knee disorder with degenerative joint disease and arthralgia have been denied as the medical evidence does not meet the criteria for higher evaluations under applicable diagnostic codes.