Diabetes Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran and issues related to herbicide exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for diabetes mellitus and blindness, finding no competent evidence that his conditions were incurred in or aggravated by his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for type 2 diabetes mellitus, obstructive sleep apnea, COPD, and a vision disorder was denied as there is no evidence of exposure to herbicide agents during service. The preponderance of the evidence does not support the claims.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service personnel records and medical records related to Agent Orange exposure. The Veteran's claims for hypertension, diabetes mellitus (presumably due to herbicide exposure), and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities will be reconsidered.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy are not service connected, as there is no evidence of herbicide exposure during service. The claims for secondary service connection have also been denied.

The Veteran is granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder including anxiety and depression, Type II Diabetes Mellitus, a respiratory disorder including asthma, and urethral pain. Service connection for hemorrhoids is granted with an initial rating of 10 percent.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease were denied as there was no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides, the conditions did not manifest within one year after discharge, and there is no competent evidence linking these conditions to service. The claim for an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss is REMANDED.

The Veteran's bilateral peripheral neuropathy in the lower extremities is found to be proximately due to or the result of his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus. The appeal for higher initial disability rating for PTSD and service connection for peripheral neuropathy are granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death is not attributable to service or any incident of service, and therefore denied the claim for service connection.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes and prostate cancer, both of which were found to be not related to the Veteran's military service. The denial was based on a lack of qualifying service in Vietnam and no evidence of herbicide exposure.

The Veteran seeks compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for diabetes mellitus, Type II as a result of taking Zyprexa prescribed by VA. The Board finds that an additional VA medical opinion is necessary to determine if the use of Zyprexa caused the development of diabetes.

The Veteran's cause of death (arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease) was not related to his military service or a service-connected disability. The Board found no evidence linking the Veteran's death causing disabilities to his Vietnam service, including exposure to herbicides.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus was not rated higher than 20 percent, and his diabetic neuropathy of the lower extremities were increased to 60 percent effective February 2, 2012.,Diabetic neuropathy of both right and left lower extremities is now rated at 60 percent from February 2, 2012.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, non-ischemic cardiomyopathy, hypertension, and peripheral neuropathy are not service-connected. The Board finds no evidence of exposure to Agent Orange or other presumed conditions during service.

The Board has remanded the appeal to obtain deck logs from the Veteran's naval service in the Republic of Vietnam, as it is unclear if he was exposed to herbicides. The issues on appeal concern whether the Veteran's diabetes mellitus is related to his military service.

The Veteran's right ankle disability has been granted a 10 percent rating effective September 9, 2008. His diabetes mellitus claim remains pending.

The Board finds that the Veteran's hypertension is not caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II. As such, he cannot establish service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's bilateral diabetic retinopathy and ischemic maculopathy were found to be secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.,Both conditions have been granted service connection for accrued benefits purposes.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus was not found to require regulation of activities prior to April 25, 2012.,Prior to April 25, 2012, the right foot disability did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.