Diabetes Board decisions

The Veteran withdrew his appeal of the issue regarding a rating in excess of 20 percent for type II diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated as 50 percent disabling, and the Board found that this rating adequately reflects his current level of disability. The other claims for service connection or a TDIU were denied.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected diabetes mellitus with diabetic retinopathy is being remanded due to deficiencies in the VA compensation examination.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, type II and arteriosclerotic heart disease were denied as there was no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides or other service connection criteria met.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and atrial fibrillation and nonischemic cardiomyopathy are being remanded due to the need for further development, including medical examinations.

The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity neuropathy is found to be secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.

The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease were not shown to be related to service, including exposure to herbicides. The claims are denied.

The Veteran's combined disability rating is 90 percent, with service-connected disabilities that do not preclude him from obtaining or maintaining any form of substantially gainful employment consistent with his occupational experience and educational background.

The Veteran's obesity, elevated cholesterol, diabetes mellitus, and arthritis are not service-connected as they do not have a direct relationship to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease, which became 100% disabling on November 7, 2011, precluded him from securing and following substantially gainful employment prior to that date. However, his other service-connected conditions did not meet the criteria for a TDIU due to their combined effect.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to scheduling issues and the need for a Travel Board hearing. The specific conditions of prostate cancer, bronchitis, diabetes mellitus, hepatitis C, and bilateral glaucoma are still under consideration.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus, finding no evidence of herbicide exposure and thus no presumption of service connection. The issue of new and material evidence to reopen claims for chronic fatigue, polymyalgia, and recurrent prostatitis was also denied.

The Board denied claims for service connection for various conditions, including hearing loss, diabetes, skin disorder, urinary tract disorder, TBI residuals, headaches, and lumbar spine strain. The decision found that new evidence did not warrant reopening the claim for hearing loss, while other claims were denied based on lack of a nexus to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for stomach and eye problems, as they are not related to his service or a service-connected disability. The other issues on appeal have been addressed but no rating assigned.

The Veteran's heart disorder, including hypertension, is service-connected as due to herbicide exposure.,Diabetes mellitus, type II, is also service-connected as due to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss has been withdrawn. The Board is dismissing this issue as the Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and examinations. The issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, diabetes mellitus, a right shoulder disability, and hypertension (on de novo review) are also being remanded.

The Veteran's out-of-pocket medical expenses at Nebraska Medical Center were not authorized by VA, but the Board finds that they were for a medical emergency of such nature that delay in seeking immediate medical attention would have been hazardous to life or health. However, treatment at the Omaha VAMC was feasible and reasonable.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral eye disability is being remanded due to the need to address his diabetes mellitus, which may be related to both active duty and service connection. The AOJ should obtain all relevant treatment records and adjudicate the claims accordingly.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed before a final decision can be made on the Veteran's claim for service connection for cause of death.