Diabetes Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities was denied as his condition is consistent with a 40 percent rating for his right upper extremity and a 30 percent rating for his left upper extremity, both effective June 2, 2020.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral ankle pain, diabetes mellitus, dyspepsia, erectile dysfunction, and sleep apnea due to lack of new and relevant evidence. The claim for a compensable disability rating for hearing loss was also denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to inconsistencies in the Veteran's reported dates of service and exposure, as well as deficiencies in the VA's research efforts. The claims will be reconsidered with additional evidence.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and vascular conditions of the bilateral lower extremities as secondary to diabetes mellitus II. The Board found that there was no evidence of herbicide exposure during service, which is required for presumptive service connection under VA regulations.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and scheduling a VA examination with an ophthalmologist and neurologist.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, diabetic neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, diabetic retinopathy, and hypertension due to herbicide agent exposure in Guam have been granted. The effective date is not specified as it pertains to a presumption under the PACT Act.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical and administrative records from Fort McCoy Army Hospital and East Orange VA Medical Center. The AOJ must also clarify the amount paid by the Appellant for the medical services provided.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU was denied as his service-connected disabilities did not meet the schedular criteria, and no extraschedular rating was granted. The Board found that the evidence did not establish he is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to duty-to-assist errors. The Board will obtain medical opinions regarding the etiology of tinnitus, thoracic strain, diabetes, and right knee disorder.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for obesity, diabetes mellitus (DM), and hypertension (HTN) due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors. The Veteran's DM and HTN are not considered as directly caused or aggravated by her service-connected headaches or back disorder.

The Board has denied service connection for a back condition and diabetes mellitus. The claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are remanded due to inadequate VA examination.

The Veteran's diabetes is granted on a direct basis due to herbicide exposure during service at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for diabetic retinopathy, claimed as irritability of the eyes, is dismissed because it was untimely filed and no good cause has been shown.

The Veteran's hypertension and bilateral non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy have not met the criteria for increased ratings. The earlier effective dates for service connection, rating assignments, and SMC are denied.,The Board has remanded the claim of an appropriate evaluation for CAD with history of coronary artery bypass graft.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for SMC based on need for aid and attendance due to service-connected disabilities, as he is able to perform most of his daily activities independently.

The Veteran's Type II diabetes mellitus is granted as service-connected due to presumed exposure to herbicides while serving in the territorial waters of Vietnam.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his diabetes mellitus type II was denied as the disability did not require regulation of activities, which is necessary for a higher rating.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for diabetes, coronary artery disease, hypertension, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to errors in duty to assist. The Veteran's service connection claims are being reviewed again with additional examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type II, acne vulgaris and acne keloidalis nuchae, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss, rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation from September 30, 2009 to March 28, 2019.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for diabetes mellitus type I was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not demonstrate regulation of activities due to diabetes prior to February 21, 2018, and thus a rating in excess of 20 percent is denied. For the period after February 21, 2018, the Veteran's diabetes required one or more daily injections of insulin, restricted diet, and regulation of activities with episodes of ketoacidosis or hypoglycemic reactions requiring hospitalizations or visits to a diabetic care provider.