Diabetes Board decisions

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being referred to the Director of Compensation and Pension Services for extraschedular consideration due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from obtaining any form of gainful employment.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly pension based on the need for regular aid and attendance or being permanently housebound is denied as he does not meet the criteria for either benefit.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, finding that there was no in-service diagnosis and insufficient evidence linking his current condition to his active military service.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions and private treatment records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, high cholesterol, right shoulder tendonitis, left shoulder tendonitis, chronic ear infections, dental issues, and allergic rhinitis (claimed as sinus issues) due to herbicide exposure is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to a request for a hearing. The claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus, presumed due to herbicide exposure, remains pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy with carpal tunnel syndrome and cubital tunnel syndrome.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II, is granted. The Board has also granted service connection for degenerative joint disease of the left shoulder and lumbar spine with compression fracture of the thoracic spine, as well as right great toe joint replacement, status post degenerative joint disease. An initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for each condition is not warranted.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a VA medical examination to address the etiology of the Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death, cardiopulmonary failure due to esophageal cancer, is related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus or his exposure to Agent Orange in service. Therefore, service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is denied as the Board finds no valid diagnosis of PTSD or any other acquired psychiatric disorder during the appeal period.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to clarify the findings of his eye examinations and determine if his diabetes requires regulation of activities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and attempting to substantiate his claims of service connection for Hepatitis C, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including scheduling a VA eye examination and obtaining updated medical records. The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and cataracts as secondary to service-connected hypertension is pending.

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD) and diabetes mellitus, both presumed to be related to herbicide exposure in Korea. The effective date of the grant of service connection for CAD is set at August 31, 2010, which is when ischemic heart disease was added to the list of diseases recognized as being related to herbicide exposure. The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for CAD has been denied.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the previously denied claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus, and thus the claim is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II is denied as there was no exposure to herbicides during his service in Korea and the evidence does not show that he had diabetes in service or within one year of discharge.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities were denied by the Board, as the evidence did not show that his conditions warranted a rating in excess of 10 percent.