Diabetes Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and contacting the Social Security Administration.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus has been granted service connection and is currently rated at 20 percent, effective from April 9, 2006.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinion regarding the cause of death and its relation to service. The appellant's claim for DIC benefits is being returned for further development.

The Board found no competent and credible evidence indicating that the Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus is etiologically related to service, specifically his National Guard service at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown. The Board concluded that there was insufficient evidence to link the Veteran's current diabetes to his exposure to herbicides or any other form of service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining deck logs from the USS DEHAVEN (DD 727) and determining if the Veteran was exposed to Agent Orange during his service in Vietnam. The claims will be readjudicated after this additional development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, is due to his service-connected right knee disability and grants this claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran did not serve in Vietnam and therefore cannot establish herbicide exposure. The claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, Type II; neuropathy of the lower extremities; hypertension; vision disorders (glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy); and erectile dysfunction are denied as they do not meet the criteria for direct service connection.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II; bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy; and hypertension were denied as his claimed conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus was not incurred in or aggravated by service and may not be presumed to have been incurred in service. The claim is therefore denied.

The Veteran's current diagnosis of diabetes mellitus type II is considered to be related to his exposure to herbicides in service, specifically during his temporary duty assignment in the Republic of Vietnam. As he set foot in Vietnam and was exposed to herbicide agents, he meets the criteria for presumptive service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that high cholesterol is not a disability for VA purposes and the other conditions are not related to his active service or any incident of service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to adjudicate the Appellant's claims of entitlement to service connection for her husband's death, including asbestos exposure. The case is REMANDED for further development.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the etiology and date of onset for the Veteran's claimed conditions, including sleep apnea, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus type II. The case is being remanded for further action.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and obesity have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability, and the Board finds that these conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus. The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include depression) is remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to assess the current severity of the Veteran's diabetes mellitus and its impact on his ability to work. The case will be remanded for this purpose.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II is rated at 20 percent, but the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as there are no physician-directed restrictions on activities of daily living.

The Board found that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, respiratory disorders (emphysema and asthma), and nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities) are not related to his military service or any event of service origin.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, which manifested within one year of his separation from active service, meets the criteria for a 10 percent rating or more under Diagnostic Code 7913. Therefore, service connection for diabetes mellitus is granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for service-connected peptic ulcer disease (PUD) and has also denied his request to reduce the evaluation from 20 percent to zero percent effective October 1, 2012. The Veteran is currently receiving a noncompensable evaluation for PUD.