Diabetes Board decisions

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection for various conditions, including hepatitis C, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular renal disease, loss of vision in the right eye, and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. The appeal is remanded for further action.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining records of PTSD treatment and arranging for an examination to determine if the service-connected disabilities alone render the veteran unemployable.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of a head injury with an initial rating of 10 percent. Service connection for hypertension and diabetes mellitus due to in-service herbicide exposure is denied.

The veteran's diabetes mellitus is rated at 40 percent, the highest rating available under VA regulations. The Board found that his condition does not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating.

The veteran is seeking compensation under the provisions of 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for chronic diabetic right foot and left foot ulcer residuals, which he claims developed due to inadequate care during a December 2002 hospitalization at the Milwaukee VA Medical Center. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical records.

The Board has determined that the cause of the veteran's death is not service-connected, as there is no medical evidence linking his death to military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not meet the criteria for SMC for loss of use of a creative organ due to his erectile dysfunction, as he still retains some ability to engage in intercourse and there is no evidence of complete sterility or psychosocial impairment.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for additional development due to procedural issues and to obtain updated evidence regarding his exposure to herbicides and hearing loss.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and did not reopen the claim of service connection for schizoaffective disorder with history of major depression.

The veteran's claim is being remanded to determine if his above-the-knee right leg amputation was related to or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Board found that the severance of service connection for the veteran's diabetes mellitus and secondary arteriosclerotic heart disease was improper due to ambiguity in the record regarding the veteran's physical presence in Vietnam.

The Board has granted service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus, finding that the veteran's exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam is presumed and resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the veteran.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy of the hands, arms, and feet on a presumptive basis due to active military service. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss, poor blood circulation, and numbness of the hands, arms, and feet is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for service connection for herbicide exposure is denied. The appeal related to other issues, including a claim for an increased evaluation for back disability and claims for service connection for heart disability and hypertension.

The Board has determined that the veteran's Type II diabetes mellitus is presumed to have been incurred in service due to his Vietnam-era service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the right and left legs, and erectile dysfunction are currently rated as 20 percent disabling. The Board finds that these conditions do not warrant a higher rating.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for a Travel Board hearing in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The disability rating for diabetes mellitus remains at 20 percent.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, iron overload syndrome, and atrial fibrillation. The veteran's claims were based on his exposure to chemicals during military service, but there was no competent evidence linking these conditions to his time in service.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing proper VCAA notification.

The veteran's diabetes mellitus is presumed to have developed as a result of herbicide exposure during service. The veteran's pulmonary disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by his active service.