Diabetes Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing nexus opinions on service connection claims.

The Veteran's gastrointestinal disability is related to his service-connected arthritis, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition. The other issues remain pending.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are service-connected, as is his PTSD. Service connection for diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities was granted on a presumptive basis due to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board has determined that a new examination is needed to determine if his disability requires regulation of activities.

The Veteran's claims for hypertension and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy were denied. The effective dates for the awards of service connection for diabetes mellitus type 2, upper extremities peripheral neuropathy associated with diabetes mellitus type 2, and lower extremities peripheral neuropathy associated with diabetes mellitus type 2 are all denied as they do not meet the criteria for an earlier effective date.,The Veteran's claims for hypertension were not addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss were denied as there was no evidence of service connection or exposure to herbicides. The Board found that the Veteran did not serve in Vietnam during the Vietnam era and thus could not be granted presumptive service connection.

The Board denied service connection for right wrist disability, bilateral toenail fungus (claimed as secondary to diabetes), and malignant melanoma and basal cell carcinoma on the face (claimed as due to herbicide exposure). The Veteran's claims for hearing loss, left wrist disability, and fracture of the mandible were also addressed but are not discussed in this decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's erectile dysfunction is not caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II. The VA examinations and medical opinions provided no evidence to support a finding of aggravation. As such, the claim for secondary service connection for erectile dysfunction was denied.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining translations of Veteran's service treatment records and requesting supplemental opinions from VA examiners regarding the relationship between hypertension and diabetes mellitus.

The Board has restored the Veteran's 40 percent evaluation for DM with erectile dysfunction and bilateral diabetic retinopathy, effective April 1, 2006. The decision also addressed whether a higher rating was warranted prior to November 5, 2010, and beginning from that date.

The Veteran's diabetes is currently rated at 20 percent, but the Board found that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as his condition only requires insulin and restricted diet.

The Board has ordered remand due to the need for further development regarding herbicide exposure in Thailand, which may affect the Veteran's claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50 percent, and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus at 20 percent. The combined rating is 60 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to PTSD alone.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of cold injury to the bilateral feet, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are consistent with his active duty service in Korea.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus was denied as there is no evidence of a nexus to service and the condition did not manifest within one year of separation.

The Veteran seeks service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, which he claims is related to his military service and exposure to herbicides. The RO denied the claim based on lack of Vietnam service, but the Board finds that Thailand service should be evaluated.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II was dismissed as he expressed satisfaction with the assigned effective date in his September 2007 statement.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, based on presumed exposure to herbicides during active duty in Korea. The skin disorder claim is remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, is being remanded due to the need for additional development and clarification of his exposure history.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, and diabetic neuropathy of the left and right arms are currently rated at 20 percent each. The Board finds that these ratings adequately reflect the severity of his disabilities.