Diabetes Board decisions

The Veteran's diabetes, erectile dysfunction, and hypertension with diabetic nephropathy are all rated at the minimum levels allowed by the applicable rating criteria. The Board finds that none of these conditions warrant a higher disability rating.

The Court has restored a 40 percent evaluation for diabetes mellitus, effective April 1, 2009.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, claimed as secondary to diabetes mellitus type II, were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a current diagnosis of these conditions during the pendency of the claim.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and opinion regarding diabetes mellitus, obesity, and erectile dysfunction. The Veteran's claims for service connection are pending.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is likely secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and the Board has granted this claim.

The Veteran claims service connection for diabetes mellitus, which he asserts is due to exposure to herbicides while stationed in Thailand. The Board has determined that further efforts should be made to verify the Veteran's assertions of herbicide exposure and obtain a medical opinion regarding the possible nexus between his claimed exposure to herbicides and diabetes mellitus.

The Board found that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus type 2 was not incurred in or aggravated by her military service, including herbicide exposure. The preponderance of evidence did not relate her current condition to her service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus was not incurred or aggravated by service, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of diabetes mellitus, type II and coronary artery disease (CAD) are denied. The Board finds that these conditions were not incurred or aggravated by active military service. Service connection is also denied for increased evaluations for tinea versicolor, left knee degenerative joint disease with limitation of motion, and left knee instability.

The Veteran's claims for higher initial disability ratings for diabetic neuropathy of the right and left upper extremities are being remanded due to a need for additional development, including scheduling VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the current severity of service-connected type 2 diabetes mellitus. The AOJ must also return the January 2014 hypertension examination for an addendum regarding whether it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's hypertension is aggravated by service-connected diabetes.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, a psychiatric disability, headaches, sarcoidosis with restrictive lung disease, and TDIU. The claim for an earlier effective date for nonservice-connected pension benefits was granted.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury was withdrawn by the appellant. The Board has determined that the Veteran is not unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of diabetes mellitus type II is denied as his April 1988 claim was received after the date entitlement arose, which is considered the later of the receipt of a claim or the date diabetes mellitus symptoms began.

The Board has determined that the Veteran did not file a claim for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus prior to January 25, 2010. Therefore, an effective date prior to this date is denied.

Service connection granted for residuals of facial trauma, including scars on the upper lip, right nasofold, and right cheek. The effective date is set at April 23, 2002.,The earlier effective date for a 40 percent evaluation for diabetes mellitus was established as April 23, 2002, based on evidence showing insulin use to treat the condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The evidence did not support a finding of herbicide exposure during service.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the Board is dismissing the case.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, was initially rated at 20 percent prior to March 8, 2008. From March 8, 2008 through June 27, 2012, the rating increased to 40 percent. Since June 28, 2012, a staged initial rating of 60 percent has been granted.