Diabetes Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete deck logs from the USS New Jersey for the period of September 29, 1968 through January 13, 1969. The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus is being returned to the RO for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and an upper respiratory disability, both claimed as due to herbicide exposure, are being remanded for further investigation of the Veteran's alleged exposure in Thailand.

The Veteran seeks service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and eye disorder due to herbicide exposure. The Board needs to verify the Veteran's unit history in Korea and determine if he was exposed to Agent Orange.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed because he died during the pendency of his claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and multiple myeloma have been reopened, but the Board has determined that new evidence does not establish a causal link to active service.,The Veteran served aboard the USS Passumpsic in the Republic of Vietnam. However, there is no credible evidence indicating he was exposed to herbicides or other conditions associated with Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has remanded the case for the assignment of an initial rating for the Veteran's now service-connected diabetes mellitus. The RO should also consider whether a VA examination is appropriate prior to assigning a disability rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's diabetes, hypertension, heart disorder, tinnitus, insomnia, sleep apnea, depression, and GERD were not incurred or aggravated by his active military service. The claims for these conditions are therefore denied.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, is currently rated at 20 percent and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.

The Board denied the Appellant's petitions to reopen her claims for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318, finding no new and material evidence to support these claims.

The evidence does not show that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus and cardiac disorder are related to his period of active service or any incidents therein, nor is there sufficient evidence to establish a secondary relationship to herbicide exposure. The claims for service connection are therefore denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from attending to the needs of nature, caring for himself, and/or protecting himself from the hazards of his environment. The criteria for special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance have been met.

The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities are presumed to have been incurred in service due to herbicide exposure. The Board finds that he likely went ashore while stationed aboard his ship, thus qualifying for presumptive service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran did not serve in Vietnam and thus could not be presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange. The Veteran's current diabetes mellitus was not shown during service or within one year of separation, and there is no evidence linking his current condition to military service.

The Board found no evidence of diabetes mellitus within one year post-service and denied service connection for this condition. The bilateral eye disability was also not granted as the Veteran's conditions were not shown to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus has been rated at 20 percent, but the VA examiner found that it did not require regulation of activities. The claim for a higher rating is denied.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Florida Hospital Flagler on October 25, 2009 is granted. The treatment was deemed necessary due to the urgency and severity of his symptoms, which included palpitations and shortness of breath.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is aggravated by his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus, warranting service connection for hypertension on a secondary basis.

The Board has determined that the severance of service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus and loss of use of both feet due to diabetic peripheral neuropathy was not proper, as there is no evidence showing the Veteran set foot in Vietnam or had exposure to Agent Orange.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Type II Diabetes Mellitus, claimed as due to herbicide exposure in service, was denied because there is no evidence of Vietnam service and the diabetes was not linked to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and records, including Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits records.