Diabetes Board decisions

The Board has dismissed the appeal for the issue of entitlement to an increased evaluation for bilateral hearing loss due to withdrawal by the Veteran. The Veteran meets the criteria for TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities, rendering him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to April 27, 2011, for the grant of service connection for type II diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction must be denied as there is no indication he filed a formal or informal claim before this date.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal, and the Board does not have jurisdiction to review it.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus type 2 was managed with diet only during the initial rating period. For the entire rating period, his right and left knee disabilities have been manifested by painful, noncompensable limitation of motion with stiffness, crepitation, and frequent episodes of pain, locking, and effusion. The Veteran's TDIU claim has also been granted.

The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding the Veteran's claimed herbicide exposure. The Veteran is asked to provide any relevant private medical records and other evidence he wishes to submit, and VA will attempt to verify his reported exposure to herbicides while making deliveries to the 2nd and 7th Infantry Divisions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hypertension, cardiac disability, diabetes mellitus, low back disability, prostate cancer, and thyroid disability, were denied as there was no evidence of exposure to ionizing radiation during service. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a diagnosis of depression or head rash at any time during the period on appeal.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral senile cataracts and mild nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy with mild macular edema in his right eye were not incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to obtain the Appellant's service records and determine her claims for service connection. The VA will notify the Appellant if further action is required.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current symptoms are related to his active service. The other claims remain pending and will be remanded for further development.

The Veteran's cause of death was not service-connected, and the appellant did not meet the requirements for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 or accrued benefits. The appellant also does not qualify for non-service-connected death pension due to her income exceeding the maximum annual pension rate.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for ischemic heart disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus, finding that there was no current diagnosis of either condition.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the claims of bilateral hearing loss, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (claimed as a heart condition), and diabetes mellitus type 2. The Veteran's service records show he was stationed in Hawaii during the time Agent Orange testing was conducted there.

The Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for his service-connected diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, and peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to assess whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to obtain or maintain gainful employment. The AOJ should readjudicate the claim after obtaining any additional evidence.

The Veteran's diabetes and esophageal disability were not incurred or aggravated by his active duty service, including exposure to ionizing radiation. The Board found no evidence of a nexus between the disabilities and service.

The Board has granted service connection for Charcot arthropathy as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus type II. The rating for diabetes mellitus remains unchanged.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's Peyronie's disease is a symptom of his ED associated with diabetes, and thus warrants a rating of 20 percent under DC 7522. The preponderance of evidence supports this decision.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for further examination and consideration of his acquired bilateral eye disorder, including whether it is related to his service-connected Type II diabetes mellitus. The issue also includes a separate compensable evaluation for an eye disorder associated with his service-connected Type II diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, is currently rated as 10 percent disabling. His associated peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities are each rated as 10 percent disabling.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of diabetes mellitus and PTSD were denied as the earliest date of claim was not within one year after separation from active duty.