Diabetes Board decisions

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for type II diabetes mellitus and erectile dysfunction on a presumptive basis due to his exposure to herbicides during service. Service connection was denied for hypertension.

The Veteran is unable to find or maintain substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities, with the exception of October 12, 2010 when he received a 100% rating. The issue is now moot after that date.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including PTSD with depression, duodenal ulcer, coronary atherosclerosis, scar from bypass surgery, diabetes mellitus type II with impotence, and associated peripheral neuropathy, render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted TDIU based on the combined effect of these service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for diabetes mellitus was denied as his disability did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable VA rating schedule.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is currently rated at 20 percent, with no additional compensable complications. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating for his diabetes or any of its associated conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including prostate cancer, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment since January 31, 2012. Prior to that date, his disabilities did not prevent him from securing and following such employment.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, including diabetes mellitus which the appellant claims was related to Agent Orange exposure. The Board found no evidence of Agent Orange exposure in Thailand and denied the claim.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus and rhinitis due to insufficient development. The Veteran is requested to provide additional evidence or cooperate in the development process.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including placing a copy of Memorandum for the Record: Herbicide use in Thailand during the Vietnam Era in the Veteran's claims file and reviewing all evidence. The appeal will be reconsidered after this additional development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, Type II is due to herbicide exposure during his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II is being remanded due to the need to determine if he served in Vietnam or on its inland waters and therefore qualifies for presumptive exposure to herbicides.

The Board has granted a waiver of recovery for the overpayment of pension debt, finding no fault on VA's part and that repayment would create undue hardship.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for Crohn's disease, diabetes mellitus, type II, COPD, and spinal stenosis with lumbar radiculopathy, bilateral lower extremities are being remanded to the RO due to procedural issues.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple issues related to his service-connected diabetic neuropathy and Type II diabetes mellitus. The Board previously denied some of these claims based on a less than complete record, but the Veteran has requested a hearing to address these matters.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for Multiple Sclerosis and Type II Diabetes are being remanded as the Board finds that additional development is needed to determine if he has these conditions, their etiology, and whether they were incurred in or aggravated by his military service.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II is presumed to be related to his in-service herbicide exposure. The appeal of the hypertension issue has been withdrawn by the appellant.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and VA examinations to address the etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type 2 is currently rated as 20 percent disabling. The Board denied an increased rating for the disability and did not address service connection for a left knee degenerative joint disease.

The Board found that the Veteran's kidney stones were not incurred in or aggravated by active service, and are not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected malaria and diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for diabetes mellitus was denied. The appeal is based on the denial of service connection for left eye retinopathy, which is not related to his service-connected diabetes.