Diabetes Board decisions

The veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, presumed due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam, is granted. The claim for an increased rating for residuals of L1 fracture remains denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not meet the criteria for special monthly pension based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another person or at the housebound rate due to his ability to function independently in daily activities.

The Board has denied the appellant's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, as there is no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides and no medical opinion linking the current condition to service.

The veteran's claims for increased disability evaluation, service connection for diabetes mellitus, and service connection for a back condition were all denied. The Board found that the residuals of right inguinal hernia repair did not meet criteria for a higher rating than 10 percent. Service connection was denied for diabetes mellitus due to lack of evidence within one year post-service. And service connection was also denied for a back disorder as there is no current diagnosis.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a personal hearing before a Veterans Law Judge of the Board at the Oakland, California Regional Office. The case will be returned to the Board if further action is required.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete records and other issues.

The veteran's diabetes mellitus and hypertension were not incurred or aggravated during service, are not proximately due to a service-connected disability, and may not be presumed to have been incurred in service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's diabetes mellitus and a disorder characterized by diarrhea are not related to his military service, and thus denied these claims.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including verification of stressors and unit histories. The veteran's claims for PTSD, diabetes mellitus, and Stargardt's disease are pending.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for diabetes mellitus and associated peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, as well as his service connection claims. The effective date issue is also being remanded.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than February 16, 2001 for the award of service connection for diabetes mellitus as his claim was not filed prior to that date.

The veteran's diabetes mellitus was not manifested in service or within the first post-service year, and there is no competent evidence relating his diabetes to service. The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus as it did not meet the criteria of direct service connection.

The veteran's diabetes mellitus requires insulin and a restricted diet, but does not require regulation of activities. Therefore, the initial rating in excess of 20 percent is denied.

The veteran's diabetes mellitus is currently rated at 20 percent disabling, and the Board finds no basis for a higher evaluation.

The veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus is currently rated at 20 percent, and his hypertension with coronary artery disease does not meet the criteria for service connection. The TDIU claim was denied as the combined disability rating of 70% does not result in unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the veteran's diabetes mellitus, which requires insulin and a restricted diet but does not limit his activities, warrants only a 20 percent evaluation.

The Board found that the veteran did not serve in Vietnam, was not exposed to Agent Orange, and there is no competent evidence linking diabetes mellitus to service. As a result, the claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus was denied.

The veteran died in March 1991 due to Koch's pulmonary and diabetes mellitus. The death certificate shows that these conditions were the immediate cause of his death, with diabetes mellitus being a significant contributing factor. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board found that the veteran does not have current diagnoses of irritable bowel syndrome, hypoglycemia, or diabetes mellitus and thus denied service connection for these conditions.

The Board found no evidence to support the veteran's claim of service connection for Type 2 diabetes mellitus or tinnitus, and denied both claims.