Diabetes Board decisions

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus was diagnosed within one year of separation from service and meets the criteria for presumptive service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected peripheral vascular disease, which is linked to his inservice cold injury, contributed substantially or materially to cause his death from coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing the veteran with a VA examination to determine if her cataracts are chronically worsened by her service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, and hypertension. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to his military service or exposure to herbicides.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes and related disorders as a result of exposure to herbicides, finding that there was no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides or chronic disease within one year after discharge. The Board also found that the Veteran did not have diabetes during active duty.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection are addressed in the decision. The Board found that new and material evidence has been received to reopen several previously denied claims, but did not grant any of the individual claims due to lack of evidence supporting the claims or because they were otherwise not supported by the preponderance of the evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for TDIU was received on March 4, 2005. The effective date of this grant is set at March 4, 2004, based on the evidence showing his service-connected disabilities prevented him from obtaining and maintaining gainful employment as of January 9, 2003.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone are not of such nature and severity as to prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for service-connected diabetes mellitus was denied as the disability did not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on the evidence of record.

The Veteran's cause of death is being reviewed due to his service-connected right peroneal neuropathy and the VA medical care he received. The RO will also consider whether he was entitled to benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized non-VA dental expenses incurred on October 27, 2004 due to lack of pre-authorization and failure to meet the requirements under VA regulations.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus requires a restricted diet and insulin injections, but does not require regulation of activities. The claim for an increased rating is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is proximately due to and the result of his service-connected diabetes mellitus, granting him service connection for this condition.

The Board found no evidence that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus was incurred in or aggravated by service, including exposure to herbicides. As a result, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, to include as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II, is being remanded due to the need for additional examination and review of medical records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his mental health condition and multiple physical impairments, render him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment.

The veteran's lung cancer and brain cancer were not incurred or aggravated by service. Peptic ulcer disorder, diabetes mellitus, arthritis, and Buerger's disease are not shown to have caused or contributed to the veteran's death.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction, have been denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, as the cause of death listed on his death certificate (sepsis) did not result from any service-connected condition. The Board finds that the criteria for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 have not been met.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and prostate cancer were denied as there was no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides or a nexus between the conditions and active duty.