Diabetes Board decisions

The Board has determined that further development is needed in order to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, sleep apnea, and diabetes mellitus, type II. The case will be remanded for a VA examination and medical opinion.

The Veteran died from cardiopulmonary arrest due to cancer, with diabetes and hypertension as significant contributing factors. Service connection was not established for any condition.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and related bilateral hand and foot numbness, claiming these conditions are secondary to his herbicide exposure during active duty. The Board has ordered additional development of the record.

The Veteran's service connection claims for ischemic heart disease and diabetes mellitus, type II are granted based on exposure to herbicides during active duty.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for tinnitus is granted. The Board finds that the weight of the competent evidence of record is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran has tinnitus as a result of his active military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his request for a Board videoconference hearing. The issues of service connection for various conditions remain unresolved.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a skin disorder, chest pain, and diabetes mellitus. The reasons include that there is no evidence of any current skin condition or heart problem during service, and the VA examiner found no link between the Veteran's current dermatitis and his in-service acne. For chest pain, the Board could not determine if it was related to depression due to lack of medical records from a hospitalization. For diabetes mellitus, there were conflicting opinions regarding its relationship with depression.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for diabetes mellitus was denied. The Board found that the current level of disability did not meet the criteria for a higher than 20 percent rating, as he does not require insulin and restricted diet.

The Board granted an effective date of September 26, 2006 for the grant of service connection for diabetes mellitus due to herbicide exposure (Agent Orange), based on liberalizing legislation under 38 C.F.R. § 3.114.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II was not incurred in service and is not otherwise related to service. The claim for service connection must be denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to be as likely as not related to his active service, including in-service noise exposure. The other issues are addressed but the decision summary does not specify outcomes for gout, eye disability, diabetes mellitus, and acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is currently rated at 20 percent, and he does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. His diabetic nephropathy has been evaluated separately as it does not warrant a compensable rating.

The Board has ordered additional development to verify the Veteran's exposure to herbicides in Thailand and to determine if his diabetes is related to service, including possible exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board has granted service connection for neck and back disabilities, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to military service. The remaining claims have been remanded for additional development.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective date for service connection were denied. The Board found no legal entitlement to an earlier effective date, and the initial ratings assigned for diabetes mellitus with complications were not in accordance with the criteria.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded due to the need for a videoconference hearing.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's heart condition is related to his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus, and thus grants service connection for this secondary condition.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected Type II diabetes mellitus. The increased disability evaluations for Type II diabetes mellitus are still pending.

The Board has determined that an effective date prior to December 18, 2011 for the grant of DIC based on service connection for cause of death is denied. The appellant's current claim was received by VA in December 18, 2012, and she did not file a formal claim before this date.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including diabetes, heart disability, right knee and back disabilities, neck disability, psychiatric disability, and low energy, have been denied.,A compensable rating of 10 percent has been granted for hypertension.