Diabetes Board decisions

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and diabetes mellitus type II, finding no evidence of a verified in-service stressor or combat exposure that would support a diagnosis of PTSD. The acquired psychiatric disorder was not shown to be related to service.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus and hypertension were not incurred in or aggravated by service, and the Board finds no evidence of herbicide exposure during his military service. As such, service connection is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including early diabetes mellitus type II (DM-II), diabetic nephropathy associated with DM-II, supraventricular and ventricular ectopy associated with DM-II, mild sensory peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities, appendectomy scar, and erectile dysfunction associated with DM-II, are deemed to be sufficient for a TDIU. However, the VA examinations conducted in 2008 do not address the impact of these disabilities on his ability to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining the Veteran's pay records from his foreign service period in Vietnam. The Veteran is advised to provide these records and any other necessary information.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, is presumed due to herbicide exposure in Thailand. The Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran was granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, with an effective date of July 11, 2007. The Board found that the evidence supported a diagnosis of diabetes in 1998 and thus assigned an earlier effective date of July 11, 2006.

The Board found that the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and bilateral foot disorder were denied because there was no new and material evidence submitted to reopen them. The Veteran had previously been denied these claims in October 2007, and the new evidence received did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating his claims.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining leave and pay records from August through December 1967 to verify the appellant's service in Vietnam. The claims for Type 2 diabetes mellitus, facial neuropathy, diabetic retinopathy, bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, erectile dysfunction, and hypertension are all secondary to his diabetes.

The Veteran's diabetic neuropathy is found to be proximately due to or the result of his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus, and thus granted as secondary service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including lumbar spinal degenerative disc disease, contact dermatitis (claimed as concrete poisoning), depression, essential tremors of the hands, diabetes mellitus, and erectile dysfunction. The decision also addressed a claim for right total hip arthroplasty but found no evidence linking it to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus and hypertension are being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records, verify exposure to herbicides in Korea, and determine if prior SSA disability benefit determinations should be obtained.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability for VA purposes of the right ear and does not have diabetes. Therefore, service connection is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability for VA purposes of the right ear and does not have diabetes. Therefore, service connection is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus due to exposure to Agent Orange was denied as there is no competent and credible evidence establishing that the Veteran was exposed to Agent Orange during his period of active duty.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus may be related to an in-service metabolic syndrome, but the current claim is intertwined with his metabolic syndrome claim. The Board lacks jurisdiction over the metabolic syndrome claim and remands for issuance of a Statement of the Case (SOC).

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the evidence does not support a grant of service connection for COPD, right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, diabetes mellitus, or head injury. The Veteran is entitled to increased evaluations for focal pain syndrome with severe migraine headaches and post-traumatic scar of the left forehead.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus did not have onset during active service, was not caused by an event, injury, or disease in active service and did not manifest within one year of separation from active service. Therefore, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for renal cysts is denied as there is no evidence that his current condition is related to his active service. His diabetes, which he contends causes his renal cysts, has already been granted service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and vision loss are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining post-service medical records and providing a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and prostate cancer are being remanded due to the need for further development, including verifying his service in Vietnam and obtaining relevant medical records.