Diabetes Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development of records, including deck logs from the U.S.S. Hancock and information related to herbicide incidents.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine his exposure to herbicides and other potential causes of his claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II has been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found no evidence of a current diagnosis of PTSD, and the preponderance of the evidence did not support higher ratings for diabetes mellitus or its complications. Service connection was also denied as there is no evidence of a direct relationship between the Veteran's conditions and his active duty service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence sufficient to reopen the previously denied claims for service connection for prostate cancer and diabetes mellitus, Type II has been received.

The appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA hospitalization records and Social Security Administration (SSA) disability determination records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining his VA treatment records and a VA audiological examination. The issue of TDIU will also be addressed.

The Veteran's hypertension, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and dyslipidemia have been granted service connection as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II with diabetic nephropathy. The Veteran's PTSD claim has not been substantiated.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus was not incurred or aggravated during service and is not related to any period of active duty for training. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's current right eye disability, including visual impairment due to proliferative diabetic retinopathy status post pan-retinal photocoagulation, cataract, epiretinal membrane, was incurred or aggravated during service.,The Veteran has diabetes mellitus and a current right eye disability. However, there is no evidence of chronic residuals of an injury sustained during active duty for training.

The Veteran was unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment due solely to the effects of his service-connected disabilities prior to October [redacted], 2015.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to confirm his service in Vietnam and Thailand, determine any possible herbicide exposure, obtain updated VA treatment records, Social Security Administration (SSA) documents, and provide the Veteran with a skin examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including cardiomyopathy, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus, rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment since December 28, 2007. Effective July 26, 2010, his TDIU rating was increased to a combined evaluation of 70 percent.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a VA examination to clarify the nature and severity of his service-connected eye conditions, including pingueculae, cataracts, and diabetic retinopathy. The examiner will determine which symptoms are at least as likely as not related to in-service chemical exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, diabetes mellitus type II, a heart disability, and hepatitis C, combined to make him incapable of obtaining and maintaining gainful employment prior to his death. As such, he is granted TDIU.

The combined effect of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities precluded him from securing and following substantially gainful employment consistent with his work and educational background beginning August 2, 2007.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for dependency compensation benefits was denied as he did not provide the necessary information to VA within one year of his eligibility, and no legal basis exists to award dependent's benefits prior to December 21, 2005.

The Veteran meets the criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities. The claim for reopening of the previously denied lung/ respiratory disability is granted as new and material evidence has been received. Service connection for acid reflux is not established.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at 10 percent since September 22, 2008 through April 20, 2009. The claim for service connection of an eye disorder (diabetic retinopathy) was granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for left ulnar neuropathy, finding that there is no evidence to support a diagnosis of this condition and that it is not related to his diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to be causally or etiologically due to service. Service connection for tinnitus is established.