Diabetes Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), obstructive sleep apnea, thoracolumbar spine disability, left hip disability, and right hip disability has been granted. The rating assigned is 10 percent for chronic allergic rhinitis effective October 9, 2023.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating in excess of 10 percent for GERD is dismissed.,Service connection for hypertension and diabetes mellitus type II are granted, but the claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, left hip osteoarthritis, and right hip osteoarthritis as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right knee condition.,Service connection has also been granted for liver condition (to include NASH), sleep apnea, and diabetes mellitus, type II, all secondary to his service-connected musculoskeletal disabilities.

The Board has remanded several claims, including service connection for various conditions and an increased rating for right shoulder disability. The Veteran's appeal is currently under review.

The Board has granted service connection for a right shoulder pain disability and denied the claims for erectile dysfunction, left shoulder condition, diabetes, kidney failure, and stomach upper and lower conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, coronary artery disease, and bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are all granted as presumptively related to herbicide exposure during service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, diabetic retinopathy, and SMC based on loss of use of a creative organ are granted with an effective date of November 26, 2013.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type 2 as secondary to posttraumatic stress disorder with major depressive disorder and obesity. The Board found that obesity was not an intermediate step in causing the diabetes.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent, and the appeal for an increased rating is denied. The Veteran's degenerative osteoarthritis and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, radiculopathy, right lower extremity, diabetic nephropathy chronic kidney disease, right great toe bunion and gout, and TDIU are all granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection and basic eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) due to the severance of these benefits by VA.

The Veteran's cause of death, including hypertension and diabetes mellitus type II, are presumed to be related to his service in the Republic of Vietnam. The Board has granted service connection for these conditions.

The appeal regarding service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury is dismissed. Service connection is granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder, right shin splints, left shin splints, and hypertension. The claims for skin disability, headache disability, Type II diabetes mellitus, obstructive sleep apnea, lumbar spine disability, right elbow disability, left elbow disability, right wrist disability, left wrist disability, right hand disability, left hand disability, right ankle disability, left ankle disability, right foot pes planus, and left foot pes planus are all remanded for further evaluation.

The Board granted earlier effective dates of October 6, 2006 for the service connection of type II diabetes mellitus with hypertension and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy as secondary to diabetes. The Veteran's exposure to herbicides during service at U-Tapao RTAFB in Thailand is presumed related to his diabetes.

The Board has determined that additional medical opinions and records are needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection. The claims have been remanded.

The Board denied service connection for back injury, diabetes type II due to herbicide exposure, and sinusitis due to herbicide exposure. The evidence did not support a finding of direct service connection.,There was no credible evidence linking the Veteran's current conditions to his military service or herbicide exposure.

The Veteran meets the schedular criteria for a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disabilities, which render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The appeal for an earlier effective date for service connection of diabetes mellitus type II is dismissed. The Veteran's claim for prostate cancer was granted with a noncompensable rating effective August 10, 2022, and the Board denied any request for an earlier effective date.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, ischemic heart disease, diabetic neuropathy, prostate cancer residuals, bilateral diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities (sciatic), and diabetes mellitus Type 2, combine to result in physical or mental impairment that renders him so helpless as to require regular aid and attendance of another person. However, the need for aid and attendance must be determined without considering nonservice-connected disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, vision in left eye, diabetes, and high blood pressure. The evidence does not support a finding of current disabilities or an in-service incurrence of these conditions.