Diabetes Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by the appellant in a statement received in October 2014.

The Veteran's major depression with psychotic features, type II diabetes mellitus, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are presumed to be related to his service in the Republic of Vietnam. The left knee disability is not shown to be related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was not caused by or related to any service-connected disability, including his right shoulder arthritis. The primary causes of death were acute renal failure, congestive heart failure, and pleural effusion, which did not have their onset in service or within one year post-service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and adjudicating his service connection claims. The special monthly compensation claim will be remanded pending the outcome of these issues.

The Board finds that none of the claimed disabilities are related to service, and thus service connection is denied for all issues.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, was managed with oral glucose medication and restricted diet prior to December 28, 2009. Since then, he requires insulin injections, a restricted diet, and some regulation of activities. The disability picture does not meet the criteria for higher ratings.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes, erectile dysfunction (ED), peripheral neuropathy of the lower and upper extremities were denied as there was no evidence of these conditions in service or within a year of service. The Board also found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria to be presumed exposed to Agent Orange during his service in Korea.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's erectile dysfunction and cerebrovascular accident are not service-connected, as they are less likely than not caused by or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional VA and private treatment records, as well as an addendum opinion regarding the relationship between his service-connected diabetes mellitus and chronic renal insufficiency. The CAD claim will also be remanded for a new examination.

The Board has determined that service connection for diabetes mellitus, bilateral lower extremity peripheral vascular disease, peripheral neuropathy, diabetic ulcers, diabetic retinopathy, and renal disease cannot be granted as they are not related to service or presumed exposure to Agent Orange. The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is more likely due to hereditary hemochromatosis than to in-service Agent Orange exposure.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type 2, required insulin and a restricted diet for management but did not require regulation of activities. The Board found that the evidence does not support an increased rating beyond 20 percent.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death and finds that new and material evidence has been received. The appellant contends that diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, and a massive stroke due to or as a consequence of a ruptured arteriovenous malformation were caused by Agent Orange exposure in Vietnam.

The Board found no evidence to support the Veteran's claims of service connection for hepatitis C, diabetes mellitus, liver disease, and heart disability. The Veteran's statements were deemed insufficient to establish a nexus between his current disabilities and active service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a 3-way videoconference hearing. The issues of service connection for various conditions are still pending.

The Veteran's PTSD and diabetes mellitus, Type II are both granted service connection based on exposure to Agent Orange during his active military service in the Republic of Vietnam.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current chronic GI disorder, diabetes mellitus was not incurred in service and is not presumed to have been incurred in service, and peripheral neuropathy was not incurred in service or proximately due to any service-connected disability. Therefore, these claims are denied.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was previously remanded by the Board in April 2012. The claims file needs to be rebuilt or developed further, and a VA examination is required to assess his employability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is proximately due to or the result of his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and thus grants service connection for hypertension as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the claims due to insufficient information regarding the Veteran's service in Vietnam and his exposure to herbicides. The case will be returned for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran did not have service connection for headaches, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, bilateral leg neuropathy, a left ankle disability, hearing loss, or tinnitus due to his service. The evidence does not support these claims.