Diabetes Board decisions

The Veteran seeks compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for complications from medications prescribed by VA, including a stroke in 2009 and subsequent conditions such as left hemiparesis, muscle and nerve problems, mood swings, coronary artery disease, and diabetes mellitus. The Board has ordered additional development to obtain medical records and conduct examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow gainful employment prior to June 4, 2013. The effective date for the TDIU is set at May 10, 2010.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and bilateral vision loss due to lack of evidence supporting the Veteran's claims, including his exposure to Agent Orange or service in Vietnam. The Veteran was not exposed to herbicide agents during active duty and there is no credible evidence that he served in Vietnam.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including pneumonia, depression, diabetes mellitus, a bilateral foot disability, and skin disabilities were denied as the evidence did not establish full-body exposure to mustard gas or Lewisite during his active duty. The Board found no presumptive service connection based on mustard gas exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran had service in Vietnam and is therefore presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange. As a result, he is granted service connection for Type 2 diabetes and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma due to this exposure.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The claim of a bilateral foot disability was reopened, but the service connection claim remains denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluation of prostate cancer and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining recent VA treatment records and scheduling new examinations.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus is granted due to exposure to herbicides during active duty. The claims for increased ratings and service connection for the left lower extremity disabilities are pending.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for heart disease, myelodysplasia, and type II diabetes mellitus due to lack of evidence of exposure to herbicides during service. The appellant is therefore not entitled to accrued benefits for these conditions.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have current disabilities for VA purposes related to his claimed conditions, and there is no evidence of in-service disease or injury. Therefore, service connection cannot be granted.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing a VA examiner's opinion on whether COPD was caused or aggravated by Agent Orange exposure or any service-connected disability.

The VA is requested to provide opinions regarding whether the Veteran's ischemic heart disease and diabetes mellitus, type II contributed substantially or materially to cause his death. The opinions should be based on a thorough review of the evidence, including medical records and glucose readings.

The Board found that the Veteran's type I diabetes mellitus required a disability rating of 20 percent, effective April 1, 2010. The Veteran was also granted entitlement to TDIU from April 1, 2010.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine his exposure to Agent Orange and the nature, extent, severity, and manifestations of his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining complete service records and VA treatment records. The case will be reconsidered after these steps are completed.

The Veteran does not have diabetes mellitus, type II, that is service-connected. The claim was denied as there is no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides and the condition did not manifest within one year post-service.

The Veteran withdrew her appeal for an increased rating for service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus is service connected, as it began during or within a year after his period of active duty. The hearing loss claim remains pending.

The Veteran's amputation was not caused by VA treatment, as the infection and subsequent need for surgery were due to his pre-existing diabetic foot condition rather than any fault on VA's part.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for diabetes mellitus and service connection for hypertension, finding that his disability did not meet the criteria for higher evaluations under VA rating criteria.