Diabetes Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding his diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease.

The Board found no evidence of diabetes mellitus during service or within one year post-service, and the Veteran's current condition is not related to his military service. The claim for increased evaluation for testicle injury residuals was also denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, hypertension, and peripheral neuropathy due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service or exposure to herbicides.

The Board has ordered remand due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA disability records and a VA medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's in-service catarrhal fever and his death.

The Veteran's PTSD claim was granted, and a 50 percent disability rating was assigned. The diabetes mellitus claim resulted in a grant of an increased rating to 70 percent.

The Veteran's PTSD was incurred in service and is granted. His alcoholism, diabetes mellitus, gastrointestinal disability, skin rash, heart disease, and respiratory condition are all found to be aggravated by service.

The Veteran died from nonservice-connected causes and was not in receipt of VA service-connected benefits at the time of his death. Therefore, he is ineligible for VA nonservice-connected burial benefits.

The Veteran's claim of an earlier effective date for type II diabetes mellitus is denied. The claims to reopen his service connection for hypertension and pancreatitis are both found to have new and material evidence, but the effectiveness of reopening remains unclear due to conflicting medical opinions.

The Veteran seeks an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for diabetes mellitus. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence is against this claim and denies it.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and scheduling a VA examination for the Veteran's Hepatitis C.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sarcoidosis and sarcoid choroidal granuloma of the right eye were denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service or any service-connected disability, including diabetes mellitus. The claim based on exposure to herbicides was also denied.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus and its associated peripheral neuropathy, nephropathy, and retinopathy. The Veteran's conditions are found to be related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's appeal involves the initial ratings assigned for service-connected conditions including diabetes mellitus, sensory peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, common peroneal neuropathy and sensory peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, and PTSD. The RO has granted service connection for these conditions but did not specify any particular theory of service connection or exposure basis.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetic neuropathy in both lower extremities is rated at 30 percent, reflecting severe incomplete paralysis of the external popliteal nerve (common peroneal).

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus and single vessel coronary artery disease, status-post myocardial infarction, both of which were determined to be not related to his participation in Project 112 and SHAD testing.

The Board found that diabetes mellitus was not incurred in or aggravated during active service and is not related to the service-connected hypertension. The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus was denied.

The Board has determined that the reduction in evaluation for non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy from 10% to 0%, effective September 13, 2005, was proper.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and VA treatment records. A VA examination is also needed to determine the nature and etiology of his current headaches and dizziness.

The Veteran's bilateral retinopathy is reasonably related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus and has been granted as secondary service connection. The other issues remain unresolved.

The Board denied the appellant's claims of service connection for PTSD, diabetes mellitus, and an additional liver disability due to lack of credible evidence supporting these conditions. The Board found that there was no in-service stressor related to combat or exposure to herbicides, and thus could not establish service connection.