Diabetes Board decisions

The Board found no evidence of a current stroke or its residuals, and thus denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of stroke as secondary to his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for athlete's foot, diabetes mellitus type II, peripheral neuropathy, and a lung disability (including emphysema or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support these claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes and an increased rating for PTSD. The Veteran was not diagnosed with diabetes during the appeal period, and there is no evidence to support a current diagnosis. For PTSD, the Board found that while the Veteran experienced significant symptoms consistent with his claim, he did not meet the criteria for a 70% or higher rating due to deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II is service connected due to exposure to herbicides during his service in Korea.

The Veteran's service treatment records do not show any complaints, findings or diagnoses of impotence, hearing loss, or retinopathy during service. There is no medical evidence showing these conditions were present during service.,There are no post-service medical records indicating the presence of bilateral hearing loss until 1999, and the Veteran did not report having treated for this condition in his application for compensation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination and VCAA notice.

The Board restored service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity and granted a 10 percent evaluation for diabetes mellitus. The Veteran's hypertension is rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and he did not meet the eligibility criteria for VA nonservice-connected death pension benefits or DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, hypertension, and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine the etiology of his diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, Type II, is currently rated at 20 percent and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of secondary service connection for refractive error, or higher initial evaluations for peripheral neuropathy or diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity and both lower extremities, and erectile dysfunction have been granted.

The Veteran does not have any of the claimed conditions, and there is no evidence linking them to his service. The claims for service connection are denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus, bilateral pes planus, and right knee disorder were not incurred or aggravated during his periods of active duty service. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, and diabetes mellitus, type II, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. Therefore, the Board grants a TDIU.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy did not contribute substantially or materially to his death, as there was no evidence showing they combined to cause death. The appeal is denied.

The Board found no evidence of chronic hearing loss in service and concluded that the Veteran's current hearing impairment is not related to his military service. The issue of severing service connection for diabetes mellitus and associated cataracts was also denied as there was no clear and unmistakable error in the original grant.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is being referred to the Director of Compensation and Pension Service due to his service-connected disabilities, which may qualify him for a TDIU on an extra-schedular basis.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a clarifying medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's Type II diabetes mellitus and adjudication of his inextricably intertwined claims for service connection for hemorrhagic pancreatitis and secondary service connection for alcohol abuse.