Diabetes Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral cataracts as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus, type 2. The initial rating claim for bipolar disorder was also granted with a 10 percent disability rating effective August 1, 2004.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including back injury, cervical spine injury, sleep apnea, fibromyalgia, diabetes mellitus, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), chronic pain, atypical chest pain, and skin disability. The evidence did not support a causal relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further evaluation of his claim due to the need for a new VA opinion regarding the etiology of his erectile dysfunction.

The Veteran's tinnitus is service connected, and his diabetes mellitus, type II, secondary to herbicide exposure in Vietnam, is also granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left eye disabilities, including decreased visual acuity, ERM, and diabetic dry eye syndrome, are not related to his in-service injury or any residuals therefrom.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, erectile dysfunction, vertigo with dizziness and nausea, and a chronic acquired psychiatric disorder (to include depression or chronic psychosis). The evidence does not show that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus has been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of causation or aggravation, and thus, the preponderance of the evidence is against the Veteran's claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II and hypertension were not incurred or aggravated by his military service, and thus denied both claims.

The Board found that the termination of the Veteran's VA nonservice-connected pension benefits effective May [redacted], 2008, was proper due to his incarceration in a state prison.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on the loss of use of a kidney is denied as there is no provision in VA laws and regulations that grants such benefit.

The Board found that the Veteran did not serve in Vietnam and there is no evidence linking his diabetes to service or herbicide exposure. The claim for service connection was denied.

The RO granted service connection for diabetes mellitus due to exposure to Agent Orange, but later proposed and ultimately severed this connection based on fraud in the submitted DD Form 214.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the failure to schedule a decision review officer (DRO) hearing. The case will be returned for scheduling a DRO or Board hearing as requested by the appellant.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, type II is presumed to have been incurred in service due to herbicide exposure during his Vietnam service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension and neuropathy of the right and left upper extremities are not related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claim for reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses is being remanded due to the need for further development, including an opinion from a VA physician regarding whether his non-service-connected coronary artery disease was associated with and aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus is not related to his service, specifically due to a lack of exposure to Agent Orange during his military service in Thailand. As such, the claim for secondary service connection based on Agent Orange exposure is denied.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus and its complications, finding that the Veteran's disease was managed with diet and medication without requiring regulation of activities due to diabetes.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded for a comprehensive VA internal medicine examination to determine if his current diabetes mellitus had causal origins in active service and whether any other conditions, such as peripheral neuropathy, renal disease, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction, were caused or aggravated by the diabetes.

The Board has granted service connection for erectile dysfunction and hypertension as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.