Diabetes Board decisions

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was not received to reopen the claims for skin rash, hypertension and arteriosclerotic heart disease/coronary heart disease, diabetes mellitus, kidney disorder, liver disorder, and vision disorder. The Veteran's service connection claims were denied as there is no medical evidence demonstrating these conditions were incurred during active service.

The Board found that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, Type II and hypertension were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The claim of secondary service connection for hypertension was legally insufficient as there is no evidence linking it to a service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's claimed disabilities, including type II diabetes mellitus, pancreatitis, and a right knee disorder.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at St. Elizabeth Medical Center were denied reimbursement due to his voluntary election for private insurance to cover the costs, which precluded VA from paying any insurance balances.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development and consideration of his claim for service connection for sleep apnea, including as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

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

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction and diabetic retinopathy has been granted, but the specific details of the decision are not provided in this text.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including anal fissures, pancreatitis, and Cushing's syndrome, were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions are related to his service-connected disabilities or active duty service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to verify Agent Orange exposure and determine the etiology of hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were granted, with the effective date being August 1, 2007.

The Veteran's claim for full VA service-connected disability compensation and full military retirement pay is denied as there is no legal basis to award retroactive VA compensation under the Combat Related Special Compensation (CRSC) program.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service and cannot be presumed to have been so incurred due to exposure to Agent Orange. The Board found no evidence of continuity of symptomatology.

The Veteran's Type II Diabetes Mellitus and thyroid condition were not incurred in or aggravated by his military service, as there is no evidence of such conditions during service. The Board found that the claims are not supported by competent and credible evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran did not have diabetes during service or within one year of separation, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for further development due to insufficient reasoning in the previous decision regarding his TDIU claim. The case is now pending and will be reviewed again.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's military duties included visitation to Vietnam, and given the presumption of Agent Orange exposure for such visits, service connection is granted for diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including ischemic heart disease, PTSD, diabetes mellitus, type II, and a skin condition and scar, render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board grants the claim for TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetes mellitus and its complications, rendered him unable to care for his daily needs without requiring the regular aid and attendance of another person. Service connection is granted for these conditions due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 10 percent for non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy affecting the eyes is denied as a matter of law due to his failure to report for scheduled VA examinations without good cause.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to determine if the Veteran visited Vietnam during his annual leave and, therefore, was exposed to herbicides. The claim will be remanded for this purpose.