Diabetes Board decisions

The veteran is seeking service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, heart disease, hepatitis, spinal stenosis, and skin carcinoma, all claimed as secondary to his service-connected schizophrenia. The case is being remanded for further action.

The veteran's diabetes mellitus requires the use of insulin twice daily and a restricted diet, but does not require regulation of his activities. The Board concludes that the evidence on file does not support assignment of an evaluation higher than 20 percent for diabetes mellitus.

The veteran is seeking to reopen his claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and other conditions. The RO/AMC will need to provide a notification letter that complies with the requirements of Kent v. Nicholson, and address all issues including reopening the claims under the theory of new and material evidence.

The Board has jurisdiction to review the claims of entitlement to service connection for multiple sclerosis and hepatitis C. The veteran's appeal on these issues is granted.

The Board denied the claim for an effective date earlier than May 28, 2001 for service connection for coronary artery disease secondary to diabetes mellitus (due to Agent Orange). The effective date is set at May 28, 2001.

The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus, thus denying the reopening of the claim.

The Board has determined that the veteran's death was not caused by or related to his service-connected disabilities, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The Board found that the veteran's diabetes mellitus was not incurred in or aggravated by his military service and may not be presumed to have been incurred therein.

The Board granted an initial rating of 40 percent for diabetes mellitus with retinopathy and impotence, effective January 18, 2001. The claim for earlier effective date for service connection was also granted.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, a cardiac disorder (claimed as atrial fibrillation, cardiomyopathy, and congestive heart failure), osteoarthritis, and iron deficiency anemia. The reasons given were lack of evidence linking these conditions to the veteran's period of active service.

The veteran's diabetes requires insulin and a restricted diet, but his activities have not been regulated. Therefore, he does not meet the criteria for a 40 percent rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's diabetes mellitus is presumed to have had its onset in service, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.

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

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, earlier effective dates for bilateral hearing loss disability and Hepatitis C, and VA compensation for dependents potentially exposed to Hepatitis C virus.

The veteran seeks an increased disability rating for his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus, currently rated at 20 percent. The case is being remanded to the RO via the Appeals Management Center (AMC) in Washington, DC.

The veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and a cardiopulmonary condition, as well as his requests for increased ratings for various disabilities, were denied. The cause of death was not related to any service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran's diabetes mellitus, type I, was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and is not related to exposure to herbicides. As a result, the claim for service connection is denied.

The veteran's diabetes does not require regulation of activities, and therefore, he is not entitled to a higher rating than the current 20 percent for his service-connected diabetes with diabetic retinopathy.

The veteran's diabetes mellitus is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining additional information about his in-service stressors and scheduling VA examinations to assess the nature and severity of his PTSD, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy.