Diabetes Board decisions

The veteran is seeking service connection for various conditions, including respiratory disorders, sleep apnea, hypertension, allergic rhinitis, benign prostatic hypertrophy, depression, PTSD, poor circulation in the left leg, and diabetes mellitus, all allegedly due to Agent Orange exposure. The Board has ordered additional development of his claims.

The Board has determined that the appellant's disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly pension based on need for aid and attendance or being housebound, as her conditions are not severe enough to require regular assistance or confinement.

The veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for service-connected diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and diabetic retinopathy are being remanded due to procedural issues and the need for additional development.

The veteran's diabetes mellitus is currently rated at 20 percent, effective July 9, 2001. The condition requires dietary restrictions and insulin but does not require regulation of activities.

The Board has determined that the effective date for the grant of service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus, secondary to Agent Orange exposure in service, should be September 3, 1987.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus Type II.

The veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds that a higher evaluation is not warranted.

The Board has received notification of the appellant's withdrawal of his appeal, and thus the case is dismissed.

The veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis C, bilateral hearing loss, congestive heart failure, and diabetes mellitus have all been denied. The VA has not provided evidence of a current disability or established that the conditions are related to service.

The veteran's appeal is remanded to consider his claim for a higher disability rating and an earlier effective date for service connection due to diabetes mellitus, which was initially diagnosed in July 1988. The RO must obtain medical records from the Concord Family Health Practice and review the revised criteria for evaluating diabetes mellitus.

The veteran's reactive airway disease is rated at 30 percent, and he has been granted service connection for a small patent foramen ovale. Other claims of service connection are denied.

The veteran claims service connection for diabetes mellitus, which he believes is due to exposure to Agent Orange during his military service. The VA has requested additional information from the Navy regarding the USS Ticonderoga's deployment in Vietnam and will determine if the veteran was exposed to Agent Orange.

The Board has granted an effective date of March 31, 1987 for the grant of service connection for diabetes mellitus and its secondary complications due to exposure to Agent Orange.

The VA denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for diabetes mellitus and gout with postoperative arthrodesis of the left great toe, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding that they were not incurred or aggravated by active service and are not related to nicotine dependence acquired during service.

The veteran's service-connected PTSD and diabetes mellitus disabilities are found to be sufficient for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a liver disability, diagnosed as hepatitis C, diabetes mellitus, or skin disability of the head and feet due to service. The claims for these conditions are denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for gout, diabetes, hypertension, and arthritis of the arms and legs as there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for service-connected diabetes mellitus is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and the retrieval of outstanding medical records.

The Board has determined that the veteran's diabetes mellitus, Type 2, was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service and is not related to any incident therein. As a result, the claim for service connection is denied.