Diabetes Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have diabetes mellitus at this time and therefore, service connection for diabetes mellitus is denied.

The Veteran's service connection claim for diabetes mellitus, type II is granted due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during his service in the Republic of Vietnam.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have been shown to prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU.

The Board found that the Veteran did not serve in Vietnam and thus could not be presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange. The service connection for diabetes mellitus was denied as there is no evidence of its onset during service or within a year after separation, nor can it be presumed due to herbicide exposure. Service connection for a back disorder was also denied as the medical evidence did not support a direct relationship between the current condition and service.

The VA denied an increased rating for diabetes mellitus, finding that the appellant's activities were not restricted due to his condition. The Board found no evidence of regulation of occupational and recreational activities as required by Diagnostic Code 7913.

The Veteran's upper extremity neuropathies have been rated based on the severity of their impairment, with a 10% rating for each major and minor side prior to November 3, 2008, and a 30% rating for the right upper extremity and a 20% rating for the left upper extremity from November 3, 2008 forward.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for diabetes mellitus, type II is being remanded due to the need to associate SSA records with his claims file.

The Veteran does not have a diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy, and therefore, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is not related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus and therefore denied the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination. The issue of entitlement to total disability rating due to individual unemployability has also been added.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, finding that his current diagnosis of diabetes mellitus is related to his presumed exposure to Agent Orange during his service in Vietnam. Porphyria cutanea tarda was also found to be presumptively linked to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU is granted, and his claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected disabilities are dismissed as the appeal has been withdrawn.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete service records and exposure history.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities combine to render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU.

The Board found no evidence of herbicide exposure and insufficient medical evidence to establish a direct service connection for diabetes mellitus or skin disability. The Veteran's claims are therefore denied.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for additional examination and development of his medical records. The Board will review the case again after these steps are completed.

The Board finds that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's cause of death from metastatic adenocarcinoma was caused by his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II, and grants the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds that it does not warrant a higher rating based on current evidence of record.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development of his medical records.

The Veteran does not have Type II diabetes mellitus that began in service or is related to exposure to herbicides. Service connection for this condition is denied.