Diabetes Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling VA examinations and providing proper VCAA notice.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and a skin disorder, including psoriasis and seborrhea. The veteran's claim was based on direct evidence rather than presumptive exposure to herbicides.

The veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and coronary artery disease with congestive heart failure are being remanded due to the need for additional development of his medical records.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus, ulcerative colitis, coronary artery disease (CAD), and hypertension as they are not related to his military service.

The Board finds that the veteran's chronic pancreatitis and diabetes mellitus are not service-connected, as they are due to alcohol abuse and secondary conditions rather than exposure to herbicides or direct service connection.

The veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, including as the result of herbicide exposure is being remanded due to insufficient VCAA notice and additional evidentiary development.

The veteran's claim for reimbursement of medical expenses incurred in September 2, 2002 was denied as he did not meet the criteria for emergency treatment under VA regulations.

The veteran's diabetes mellitus was granted a disability evaluation of 20 percent effective August 23, 1990. The initial compensable rating for diabetic retinopathy was also granted.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection were denied. The effective dates of the granted conditions (diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and renal failure status post kidney transplant) are May 8, 2001.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an initial disability rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus and service connection for hypertension, finding that hypertension was not related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The effective date claim for peripheral vascular disease of the lower extremities as secondary to diabetes mellitus was also denied.

The veteran seeks service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, which he claims is related to his exposure to Agent Orange while serving at a naval air station in Atsugi, Japan. The Board has ordered additional development of the claim, including obtaining records from the VA Medical Center and confirming the nature of any herbicide agent exposure during the veteran's service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus and hypertension, finding no evidence of exposure to Agent Orange or a nexus between his current conditions and his military service.

The veteran's service in Vietnam is presumed, and he has been diagnosed with diabetes mellitus. Therefore, the claim for service connection due to herbicide exposure is granted.

The Board has determined that the veteran did not have exposure to herbicide agents during service, and therefore is not entitled to presumptive service connection for diabetes mellitus. The claims of secondary service connection for diabetic retinopathy and cataracts, peripheral neuropathy, and hypertension with renal insufficiency are denied as they are premised on a presumed service-connected disability.

The veteran is seeking an increased rating for his service-connected diabetes mellitus with diabetic retinopathy, which is currently rated at 60 percent. The case has been remanded to the RO for additional development including a new VA examination and proper VCAA notice.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed disabilities are not service-connected, as there is no evidence linking them to his in-service motor vehicle accident and subsequent brain syndrome.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, renal kidney disease, brain damage, a heart condition, a bilateral knee condition, and residuals of calcaneal stress fracture due to lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating or service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and scheduling VA examinations.

The veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral deep vein thrombosis was denied. However, his claim for an initial rating higher than 20 percent for diabetes mellitus was granted and rated at 20 percent.