Diabetes Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, hepatitis C, and a thyroid disability were denied. The Board found no direct or presumptive service connection based on the evidence of record.

The Veteran's diabetes is presumed to have been incurred in service due to exposure to herbicides during his service in the Republic of Vietnam. The Board granted service connection for diabetes on a presumptive basis.

The Veteran's hypertension is not service connected and his diabetes mellitus does not warrant a rating in excess of 20 percent. The Board also found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus and hypertension, finding that both conditions are at least as likely as not related to the Veteran's hepatitis C with cirrhosis.

The Board found that the Veteran's death was not caused or contributed to by any service-connected disability, including his VA-compensated cognitive disorder. The Board concluded there is no evidence of a connection between the cause of death and service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to determine if the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unemployable on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and a heart condition, finding no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides or other conditions that would warrant service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination regarding his eye disability and its relationship to service-connected diabetes mellitus. The case will be readjudicated after this additional development.

The Veteran's claim for non-service connected pension prior to March 2011 was denied as he did not meet the criteria of 'permanently and totally disabled' due to his disabilities. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of permanent total disability, particularly given the Veteran's age and employment status.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.

The Board has determined that further development is needed before the claims can be decided, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing a VA examination for carpal tunnel syndrome.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board found that it does not require regulation of activities. Therefore, an increased rating beyond 20 percent is denied. The Veteran's TDIU claim was also denied as his service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and prostate cancer, finding that the evidence did not support a link between these conditions and the Veteran's exposure to insecticides during his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus is currently rated at 20 percent, the maximum schedular rating available under Diagnostic Code 7913. The evidence does not support a higher rating as it fails to demonstrate that the disability requires regulation of activities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to March 18, 2004 for service connection of diabetes mellitus, type II. The Board also found that hypertension with nephropathy is not related to service or a service-connected condition.

The Board found no evidence of hypertension in service or within the first post-service year, and determined that it is not related to diabetes mellitus type I. The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type I remains at a 60% rating.

The Veteran's initial rating for proliferative diabetic retinopathy and incipient cataracts in both eyes has been denied by the Board, as his visual acuity does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for consideration of an extra-schedular evaluation due to his service-connected disabilities, as he is unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were not granted, and no special monthly compensation was awarded due to lack of evidence showing need for aid and attendance or housebound status.

The Veteran's hypertension is claimed as secondary to his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus. The Board has determined that further development, including a new VA examination and review of SSA records, is necessary before the claim can be decided.