Diabetes Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him so helpless as to be in need of regular aid and attendance, allowing for SMC based on the need for the regular aid and attendance of another person.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted as his service-connected disabilities have rendered him unemployable since July 12, 2010.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder was caused in part by service events and is therefore granted service connection.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded due to insufficient evidence assessing his employability based on his service-connected disabilities. He needs a VA examination to assess the impact of his disabilities on his ability to work.

The Board found no evidence of herbicide exposure during the Veteran's service in Korea or Guam, and thus denied his claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, and coronary artery disease.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II is service-connected due to herbicide exposure in the Korean DMZ. The Board has also determined that his kidney failure may be secondary to his service-connected diabetes.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, erectile dysfunction, peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities, and a skin disorder (chloracne), were denied as the evidence did not support a link to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including verification of Agent Orange exposure and a VA medical opinion regarding the relationship between service, claimed conditions, and death.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, psychiatric disability, residuals of a pilonidal cyst and surgery, left ear hearing loss, and bilateral lower extremity disability. The underlying de novo claims for service connection for hypertension and hyperlipidemia are being remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea was granted effective July 27, 2000. The claims for higher ratings for coronary artery disease and special monthly compensation at the housebound rate were denied as there was no increase in severity prior to April 1, 2011.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus was not granted. His current rating of 50 percent for obstructive sleep apnea is the maximum available under VA's rating schedule.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD and diabetes mellitus are being remanded due to the need to obtain VA treatment records, authorization for release of medical records, and a statement of the case for the diabetes mellitus claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and type II diabetes mellitus. The VA audiological examination indicated that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not related to his in-service noise exposure. Service connection was also denied for type II diabetes mellitus as there is no evidence linking it to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran seeks service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, which he contends is due to his stateside exposure to herbicides/Agent Orange during service. The case is being remanded for further action.

The Veteran's claims for glaucoma, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, bilateral knee arthritis and rheumatism, heart disability, and sinusitis are denied as there is no evidence of in-service incurrence or a relationship to service.,The Veteran's current hypertension condition is not related to his service. The Board finds that the weight of the evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's current heart conditions (coronary artery disease and hypertensive cardiovascular disease) are related to service.,The Veteran's diabetes mellitus claim is denied as there is no in-service incurrence or relationship to service. Additionally, he is not entitled to presumptive service connection based on herbicide exposure.,Bilateral knee arthritis and rheumatism claims are denied as the Veteran did not have an in-service injury or disease that would support a grant of service connection. The Board also finds no evidence of continuity of symptomatology between his current condition and service.,The Veteran's heart disability (coronary artery disease and hypertensive cardiovascular disease) claim is denied as there is no evidence of in-service incurrence or relationship to service. Additionally, the weight of the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to herbicide exposure.,The Veteran's sinusitis claim is granted as it is secondary to his service-connected rhinitis.

The Veteran's claimed conditions of diabetes mellitus, bilateral diabetic lower extremity sensory peripheral neuropathy, and nerve damage of the toes of both feet were not found to be related to service or herbicide exposure. The Board denied all claims for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension is dismissed. The Board grants the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, finding that it was caused by herbicide exposure during his naval service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including new VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected diabetic peripheral neuropathy and a VA examination to determine his employability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected diabetes mellitus and PTSD, obtaining relevant medical records, translating documents from Spanish, and developing the claim for TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board found that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type I, is not caused by or aggravated by service and therefore denied her claim for service connection.