Diabetes Board decisions

The Veteran was exposed to herbicides during service at Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base and his diabetes mellitus is a disease associated with such exposure. The Board finds that he meets the criteria for presumptive service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were granted, but the effective dates assigned are May 6, 2011. The initial ratings and effective dates for diabetes mellitus, CAD, and diabetic retinopathy were also established.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus in May 2008 and found that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen the claim. The Veteran's appeal was dismissed.

The Veteran's service-connected type II diabetes mellitus does not warrant an evaluation in excess of 20 percent, and his claim for hypertension secondary to diabetes is denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and a right lower extremity disability, finding that there is no evidence of herbicide exposure in Vietnam or any other basis for presumptive service connection. The claim for a right lower extremity disability was remanded but not further developed.

The Veteran's application for a clothing allowance was denied because the Under Secretary for Health or his designee did not certify that he used prosthetic or orthopedic appliances that tend to wear or tear on clothing due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type 2. The evidence did not support his assertion of exposure to Agent Orange during service and there was no objective evidence linking his diabetes to service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of any currently diagnosed acquired psychiatric disorder, hypertension, residuals of a stroke, aneurysm, diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to insufficient VCAA notice provided to the Veteran.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of diabetic retinopathy or hypertension in service, and the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of either condition.,Both conditions are claimed as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus type II. However, the preponderance of the evidence fails to establish an etiological relationship between these conditions and the service-connected diabetes.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus was granted service connection based on a diagnosis within one year of discharge from active duty. The back disability and PTSD were both granted increased ratings.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine if he currently meets the criteria for Type II diabetes and whether his erectile dysfunction is related to service, including herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's current eye disorder (diabetic retinopathy and bilateral cataracts) is proximately due to, or aggravated by, his service-connected diabetes mellitus. Sinus polyps and nail fungus are not causally related to any disease, injury, or incident in service.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, rated at 70 percent disabling, has rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The appellant is now the claimant and her appeals for increased ratings, earlier effective dates, and service connection have been withdrawn.

The Board found that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II was not incurred during service or due to herbicide exposure, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU is being remanded due to inadequate VA examinations and the need for additional medical records.

The Veteran died from kidney cancer, which is not service-connected. The Board found that the Veteran did not have exposure to herbicides during service and thus could not establish a presumption of service connection for his other conditions.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and respiratory condition due to the lack of a current diagnosis. The Veteran's claim is dismissed as moot because his TDIU claim was granted based on his service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, alone, did not render him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment prior to April 14, 2005. The Board denied the claim for a TDIU prior to that date.