Diabetes Board decisions

The Veteran's service connection claims for diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, hypertension, peptic ulcer and PTSD have been granted. The effective date of the grant of service connection for coronary artery disease is October 6, 2010.

The Veteran's service-connected peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity is rated at 30 percent, effective March 15, 2013. The other issues remain unresolved.

The Veteran's death was caused by colon cancer, with hypertension and diabetes mellitus as contributing causes. The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to presumed exposure to herbicides during his Vietnam-era service.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, and granted presumptive service connection based on herbicide exposure during service. The Veteran's current diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, type II, is consistent with a 10 percent evaluation under the appropriate diagnostic code.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's erectile dysfunction is etiologically related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and thus grants service connection for ED as secondary to DM.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral foot disability, including diabetic peripheral polyneuropathy, is not attributable to disease or injury sustained during his period of service. The Veteran's cold weather injury to his feet in Germany was resolved without residuals.

The Board finds that the Veteran's service did not take him on land or in brown water in the Republic of Vietnam, and therefore he is not presumed to have been exposed to herbicides. As there is no other evidence showing exposure to herbicides or a link between diabetes mellitus and service, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran's service connection claim for diabetes mellitus is being remanded due to the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims finding that his military occupational specialty (MOS) likely exposed him to Agent Orange on a first or second-hand basis. The case will be returned to the Board for compliance with the terms of the Joint Motion for Remand.

The Board found that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II was not incurred in active duty service and denied her claim.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining records from SSA and VA/VA clinics, as well as any private treatment records. A new VA examination will also be scheduled.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, PTSD, and hepatitis C have been denied. The Board found that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for these conditions based on his medical records and examination findings.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing an appropriate VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including anxiety disorder and Parkinson's disease, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for specially adapted housing certificate is granted. The special home adaptation grant claim is denied as moot.

The Board found that there is no evidence of a current disability for VA purposes, and thus denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral high frequency sensorineural hearing loss. The issues of hypertension (claimed as secondary to diabetes), sleep apnea, and degenerative joint disease of the knees are remanded due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus Type II was not incurred in service and is not etiologically related to service. The Board finds that the Veteran did not have herbicide exposure during service, and thus cannot establish a claim based on presumptive service connection for diabetes mellitus.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's erectile dysfunction is not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus and diabetic nephropathy proximately caused or aggravated his hypertension. Therefore, service connection for hypertension is granted.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection for diabetes mellitus and PTSD are denied as they do not meet the legal criteria.