Diabetes Board decisions

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran was exposed to Agent Orange and whether his current conditions are related to such exposure. The claims for service connection will be further reviewed after this development.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to ensure proper notice and obtain relevant medical records. A VA medical opinion will also be obtained regarding the cause of death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date, increased initial ratings, and a higher rating for his service-connected erectile dysfunction, diabetic retinopathy, and diabetes. The Board found no evidence of entitlement to these benefits prior to May 7, 2009, or that any compensable complications existed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability. The medical evidence does not support a finding of any causal relationship between his knee disabilities and his subsequent development of diabetes, obesity, or other conditions leading to his death.

The Veteran's Type II Diabetes Mellitus was not incurred in or aggravated by his military service, may not be presumed to have been so incurred - including as a result of exposure to herbicides like Agent Orange, and is not proximately due to, the result of, or aggravated by a service-connected disability - in particular, the sleep apnea associated with his hypertensive heart disease.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher initial rating for Type II diabetes mellitus has been withdrawn, resulting in the dismissal of the appeal.

The Veteran's diabetic retinopathy of the left eye is service-connected, while his organic mental disorder is not. The diabetes mellitus remains at a 20% rating.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of all claims on appeal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II and obstructive sleep apnea are not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the appellant's claims, including obtaining medical records and opinions regarding the cause of death and whether VA care caused or contributed to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's death was not caused by his service-connected conditions, and therefore the claim for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a skin disability, hypertension (claimed as ischemic heart disease), and diabetes type II. The decision found that hypertension was not incurred in or aggravated by service, may not be presumed to have been incurred due to herbicide exposure, and new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claim of diabetes type II.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the Veteran's service-connected disabilities and their impact on his ability to work.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have not rendered him unable to obtain and retain substantially gainful employment, thus the claim for a TDIU is denied.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for diabetes mellitus with mild diabetic retinopathy and erectile dysfunction was denied as his condition did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 7913.

The Veteran died due to recurrent acute myocardial infarction, hypertension, stroke and diabetes mellitus. The cause of death is not service-connected as there was no evidence linking any current conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA examination reports and medical records, issuing a statement of the case on his TDIU claim, and scheduling him for an examination to assess the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support an earlier effective date for TDIU or diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA disability benefits records and VA treatment records. A TDIU rating will be determined based on the current service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for type 2 diabetes mellitus is being remanded due to the need for additional records and information from the Veteran.