Diabetes Board decisions

The Veteran's death was caused by decompensated liver disease and respiratory failure. The appellant seeks service connection for the cause of his death, contending that his adenocarcinoma of the prostate contributed to his fatal hepatocellular cancer.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than November 15, 2004 for service connection for diabetes was denied. The Board found that the earliest allowable effective date under applicable criteria is November 15, 2004.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for a VA examination to assess the combined effect of his service-connected disabilities on his ability to engage in substantially gainful employment. The issue will be reviewed again after this development.

The RO proposed to reduce the Veteran's rating for prostate cancer from 100% to 40%, but maintained his SMC at housebound rate. The decision on service connection for diabetes mellitus was granted with an earlier effective date.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a VA examination assessing the combined impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.

The Veteran's cause of death was due to COPD and other conditions, but his service-connected disabilities did not contribute substantially or materially to his death. The claim for DIC under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 is also denied.

The Veteran's service connection claims for chronic sarcoidosis and Type II diabetes mellitus are both granted.

The Veteran's diabetes was not related to his military service or a service-connected disability, and the Board denied his claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as his claimed conditions are not shown to be related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development regarding herbicide exposure in Thailand, and for further adjudication based on the additional evidence.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his ability to work.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy or Type II diabetes mellitus, and therefore cannot establish service connection for these conditions based on herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus was denied as there is no evidence that his entitlement arose prior to August 2, 2007.

The Board found that the Veteran's skin cancer and tumors were not related to active service or to Agent Orange exposure, and thus denied his claims for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted, and he is presumed to have developed Type II Diabetes Mellitus due to herbicide exposure during his service in the Republic of Vietnam. The low back disorder claim requires additional development as it involves a VA compensation examination and obtaining private treatment records.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the claims.,The Veteran's petition to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea has been withdrawn. The RO/AMC will gather any outstanding VA treatment records and obtain private medical records from identified sources, including those related to his skin disorder.,The Veteran's appeals for service connection have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the claims.,The Veteran's petition to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for depression has been withdrawn. The RO/AMC will gather any outstanding VA treatment records and obtain private medical records from identified sources, including those related to his skin disorder.,The Veteran's appeals for service connection have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the claims.,The Veteran's petition to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for hypertension has been withdrawn. The RO/AMC will gather any outstanding VA treatment records and obtain private medical records from identified sources, including those related to his skin disorder.,The Veteran's appeals for service connection have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the claims.,The Veteran's petition to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for arthritis has been withdrawn. The RO/AMC will gather any outstanding VA treatment records and obtain private medical records from identified sources, including those related to his skin disorder.,The Veteran's appeals for service connection have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the claims.,The Veteran's petition to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for hair loss has been withdrawn. The RO/AMC will gather any outstanding VA treatment records and obtain private medical records from identified sources, including those related to his skin disorder.,The Veteran's appeals for service connection have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and for further examination. The claims will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Veteran's arteriosclerotic heart disease is service-connected due to herbicide exposure. The status of his claims for partial loss of vision and hypertension secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II remains pending.

The Veteran is unable to maintain substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities, and the Board finds that these conditions alone render him unemployable.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a Travel Board hearing before two Veterans Law Judges at the Chicago, Illinois RO to address his claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus, which he contends is secondary to herbicide exposure. The case will be returned to the Board after the hearing.