Diabetes Board decisions

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating of her disabilities, including a VA examination to determine the etiology of her gall bladder disorder, fatty liver, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and back/neck pain/headaches.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the threshold percentage requirements for TDIU, as his total combined disability rating is only 70 percent. The evidence does not support a finding of unemployability due to his service-connected conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes, hypertension, and cataracts do not warrant increased ratings under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is currently evaluated at 20 percent, and the Board finds no basis to grant a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including depression, renal insufficiency with hypertension, incisional hernia, diabetes mellitus with retinopathy and impotence, right knee disability, left knee disability, neurodermatitis, tinnitus, limitation of motion of the right knee, hearing loss, and other conditions have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and higher ratings have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a grant of service connection or higher ratings for most conditions, with some exceptions.

The Board finds that the Veteran's claimed conditions are not related to his military service, including exposure to Agent Orange. Service connection is denied.

The Veteran's claim for a permanent and total disability rating for nonservice-connected pension purposes is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the death of the appellant, and no jurisdiction remains for further action.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II and hypertension are granted service connection, with the former being established on a presumptive basis due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, finding no evidence of its onset during active service or a relationship to any in-service disease or injury, including herbicide exposure. The Veteran was not exposed to herbicides as claimed.

The Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for PTSD and diabetes mellitus are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations, consideration of new evidence, and issuance of a supplemental statement of the case.

The Veteran's diabetic retinopathy with glaucoma of the bilateral eyes was rated at 30 percent prior to January 15, 2008 and increased to 40 percent effective from January 15, 2008.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for further development, including verification of herbicide exposure and obtaining treatment records.

The Board has granted a 70 percent rating for PTSD effective January 14, 2009. The other conditions have been rated as appropriate under the applicable criteria.

The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus was not shown in service or within a year after service, and there is no evidence of herbicide exposure. The Board finds that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection as his current diabetes mellitus is not related to military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus as due to exposure to herbicides is being remanded for additional development, including verification of alleged stopover in Vietnam and related exposure.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and verifying the Veteran's service dates. The claims will be reconsidered after these steps are completed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, eye disorder, and foot disorder were denied as there was no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides or other causative factors. The Board found that the Veteran did not have presumptive service connection based on his off-shore duty aboard Navy vessels during Vietnam era.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, when considered together, are sufficient to render him unable to reliably perform gainful employment.