Diabetes Board decisions

The Veteran's diabetes requires insulin and a restricted diet, but does not require regulation of activities. She is therefore not entitled to a rating in excess of 20 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus was found to be a contributory cause of his death, and the Board granted service connection for the cause of death.

The Board found that the appellant's periods of AWOL following his tour in Vietnam were conducted under compelling circumstances, and thus did not constitute willful and persistent misconduct. As a result, the character of the appellant's active duty service does not constitute a bar to VA benefits.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date of November 2004 for his award of service connection for diabetes mellitus and prostate cancer, finding that there is no legal basis to grant such a claim.

The Veteran's claims for higher initial evaluations for various service-connected conditions, including diabetes mellitus and its associated peripheral neuropathy and erectile dysfunction, as well as tinnitus, were denied. The claim for a TDIU is also on appeal.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer and diabetes mellitus type II, both of which were presumed to be due to herbicide exposure. The evidence did not support a finding that the conditions were related to active service or to exposure in Vietnam.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including scheduling a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

The Veteran's appeal for a separate, compensable rating for bilateral retinopathy associated with Type II Diabetes Mellitus was denied. The effective date of the grant of service connection for bilateral open-angle glaucoma and consequent diabetic retinopathy is set at March 24, 2009.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus II and coronary artery disease, both related to herbicide exposure, are being remanded due to the need for additional development of his military records and private medical history.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and heart murmur were denied as there is no evidence of exposure to herbicides or other presumed conditions in service. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a current disability manifested by a heart murmur.

The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus is currently rated at 10 percent disabling under the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities. The Board finds that his condition does not meet or more closely approximate the criteria for a higher rating based on additional complications, functional impact, or use of insulin.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death. The claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II is moot.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining missing VA treatment records and providing the Veteran with a new VCAA notice letter and examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected status post radical prostatectomy and diabetes mellitus have not met the criteria for higher ratings, with the prostate condition receiving a 60% rating and diabetes receiving no additional compensation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a Statement of the Case in connection with his claims for increased ratings and TDIU.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of Prinzmetal's angina and denied service connection for it. The skin disorder claim was reopened based on new evidence, but service connection is granted only for intertrigo of the groin. For diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction, the rating remains at 20 percent prior to April 28, 2011, and increases to 20 percent from that date.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus, finding no evidence linking his condition to his active duty service and concluding that he did not serve in Vietnam or any other area where he could have been exposed to herbicides.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and coronary artery disease were not related to his military service or any presumptive exposure to herbicides. The claims for these conditions are therefore denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including verification of herbicide exposure and obtaining treatment records.