Diabetes Board decisions

The Veteran withdrew his appeals on the issues of entitlement to service connection for cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, and sleep apnea during a hearing before the Board. The appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess his ability to work given his service-connected disabilities and an evaluation of his educational and employment history.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected diabetes is aggravated by his current diarrhea, and therefore grants service connection for diarrhea.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability of mononucleosis, and therefore cannot establish service connection for this condition. The claim for bilateral hearing loss is also denied as there is no evidence of a current disability meeting VA's criteria for hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and due process issues, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the impact of service-connected disabilities on the Veteran's employability.

The Veteran's claim for a separate, compensable rating for bilateral retinopathy associated with his service-connected Type II Diabetes Mellitus was denied. The earlier effective date claim for the initial 10 percent rating for bilateral open-angle glaucoma was granted.

The Veteran's bilateral diabetic retinopathy is currently rated at 20 percent effective June 26, 2015. Ratings for left and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy remain unchanged.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple issues related to service connection and increased ratings for various disabilities, including insomnia, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, a gastrointestinal disability (hiatal hernia), major depressive disorder, TDIU, and Dependents' Educational Assistance. The Board has determined that these claims should be remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II. The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for DM II and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities are still pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of his claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection on the merits were denied across multiple conditions and disabilities. The appeal is not about any presumptive exposure to Agent Orange, Camp Lejeune, or other specific bases.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is currently rated as 20 percent disabling, and the evidence does not support a higher rating. The issue of service connection for erectile dysfunction was not addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, claimed as due to exposure to herbicides (Agent Orange), is denied because he did not serve in the Republic of Vietnam and there is no evidence of Agent Orange exposure. The Board also found that service connection may still be established with proof of actual direct causation.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II, with associated erectile dysfunction, mild diabetic retinopathy, and cataracts, is rated at 20 percent under the criteria for diabetes mellitus. The Board found that management of diabetes mellitus did not require a regulation of activities as needed for a higher rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus was not shown in service or within one year following discharge, and there is no competent evidence of a relationship between his current disability and service. As such, the claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus was denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea, heart disorder, diabetes mellitus, type II, and hypertension are not related to his military service or secondary to his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence and a failure to obtain relevant medical records. The Veteran's claim for TDIU is now pending again.

The appeal is being remanded due to the inextricability of the TDIU claim with other service connection claims. The Veteran's TDIU claim will be adjudicated after a decision on his service connection claims.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU effective February 27, 2009 due to his service-connected PTSD and other disabilities.

The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus is presumed due to his in-service exposure to herbicides while serving aboard the USS Newport News, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.