Diabetes Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to incomplete records and the need for a VA examination to assess his employability given his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, but denied the claims for lung disorder, diabetes mellitus, and hepatitis C. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lung disorder was withdrawn prior to the issuance of a decision.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, is presumed to have manifested during service due to his active duty in the Republic of Vietnam.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease (CAD) secondary to diabetes mellitus were granted with effective dates of September 29, 2003.,An earlier effective date of August 1998 was denied as the claim was not filed prior to September 29, 2004.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings, TDIU, and service connection have been denied. The Board found no evidence of a currently diagnosed vision disorder or pancreatic disorder other than diabetes mellitus, nor did the medical evidence support a link between his maxillary fibroma and these conditions.

The Board found no evidence of the Veteran's service in or near Vietnam, and thus could not establish herbicide exposure. The claims for heart disorder, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus were denied as there is insufficient evidence to link these conditions to service.

The Board has decided that the claim of entitlement to service connection for diabetes mellitus needs further development due to outstanding private treatment records.

The Veteran seeks service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, lung disorder, shortness-of-breath, erectile dysfunction, neuropathy of hands, right foot, and left foot. The claims are being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's hypertension was not found to warrant a higher rating, and service connection for various conditions including low back disorder, knee disorders, foot disorders, shoulder disorders, diabetes mellitus, insomnia, gastrointestinal disorder (GERD), and fatigue were denied.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral feet as they are not linked to military service or a service-connected condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, cervical spine disorder, lumbar spine disorder, and residuals of a right rib fracture. The appeals were decided on the basis that there was no evidence of in-service injury or disease related to these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, warranting TDIU benefits.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete records and further medical evaluation.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to verify the Veteran's alleged herbicide exposure, and thus remands the case for such development.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, diabetic retinopathy, and hypertension were denied. The evidence did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for diabetes and hypertension, as well as an increased rating for residuals of right hand injury at the August 2011 Board hearing.

The VA compensation medical opinion determined that the Veteran's service-connected conditions did not cause or contribute to his death from interstitial lung disease. The primary cause of death was listed as interstitial lung disease, which caused acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) resulting in the Veteran's demise.

The Veteran's ASCAD has been manifested by dyspnea and fatigue resulting from physical activity, which is contemplated by the applicable rating schedule criteria. The effects of his ASCAD have not warranted referral to the appropriate VA officials for consideration on an extraschedular basis.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type 2, is causally related to service. His diabetic nephropathy, chronic renal insufficiency with anemia (renal disorder), diabetic retinopathy, diabetic maculopathy, with bilateral mature cataracts (eye disorder), and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities are all secondary to his diabetes mellitus, type 2.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the effect of his schizophrenia on daily life and for additional development in connection with service connection claims.