Diabetes Board decisions

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a disorder of the vas deferens and depression, as well as his attempts to reopen his previously denied claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus Type II (DMII) and erectile dysfunction.,A VA urology examination is required to determine if the Veteran's development of erectile dysfunction was caused by his service-connected hypertension.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of medical expenses incurred at the Touro ER on September 6, 2008 was denied because there was no indication that her condition required immediate emergency treatment and VA facilities were available.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is currently rated at 20 percent based on a restricted diet and insulin. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a finding of regulation of activities, which would warrant a higher rating.

The Board has granted service connection for GERD but denied increased ratings for coronary artery disease. The effective date of the grant of service connection remains February 12, 2002.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for esophageal cancer, type II diabetes mellitus, erectile dysfunction, peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, all claimed as due to herbicide exposure. The evidence did not establish a link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.

The Board found that the cause of death (blunt force head trauma) was not caused by a service-connected disability and denied both the claim for service connection for the cause of death and the DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318.

The Veteran seeks service connection for diabetes, which he claims is related to herbicide exposure during his active duty service. The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to verify whether the Veteran was exposed to herbicides in Vietnam and to obtain an opinion on the relationship between any current diabetes disability and his military service.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for polyneuropathy due to lack of evidence showing a claim was filed prior to July 10, 2007.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone preclude him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, along with other disabilities, has rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since September 2007.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have diabetes mellitus, type II and therefore service connection for this condition is denied. The issue of a higher initial rating for PTSD remains pending.

The Board found no evidence of diabetes mellitus, type II being incurred in service or due to exposure to herbicides. The Veteran's claim for service connection was denied.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for lumbosacral DDD and DJD is granted, with a current disability rating of 20 percent. The claim for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities is also granted.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and a heart disability, all potentially related to exposure to Agent Orange during his military service. The Board has determined that additional development is needed to verify the Veteran's claimed herbicide exposure and obtain outstanding VA treatment records.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD was denied in 2003 and is not being reopened.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus, which manifested years after separation, cannot be granted as it is not related to active service or any incident thereof.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea, finding that it is at least as likely as not caused by the Veteran's service-connected diabetes.

The Veteran's tinnitus, hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, erectile dysfunction, and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities were not shown to be related to service.,Service connection was denied for all claimed conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, finding it was incurred in active wartime service due to exposure to Agent Orange. The Veteran's personnel records confirm his service in the area where herbicides were applied.

The Board found that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, was not incurred in or aggravated by his military service and is not related to any service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for diabetes mellitus is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining a comprehensive VA examination and reviewing recent treatment records.