Diabetes Board decisions

The Board remands the claim for service connection of the Veteran's cause of death to obtain a medical opinion regarding the etiology of the conditions listed as causes of death and their relation to the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of diabetes mellitus type II was denied as the criteria were not met.

The Board has denied service connection for hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, headaches (claimed as migraines), back strain, and neck strain. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service injury or disease related to these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a renal disorder, finding that his only diagnosed renal disorder was kidney stones and not diabetic nephropathy. The decision is based on the lack of evidence supporting a current renal disorder other than kidney stones.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for Parkinson's disease and/or Parkinsonism as due to herbicide exposure, and for increased ratings for peripheral neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities associated with diabetes mellitus are being remanded due to ongoing uncertainty regarding his diagnoses and need for further evaluations.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities, effective from September 29, 2022. The Veteran's condition was previously rated at 10 percent prior to that date.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, finding it presumptively linked to the Veteran's military service in Vietnam.

The Board dismissed the appeals of duty to assist errors for diabetes mellitus, type II, left ear infections, bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and tinnitus as they were not final decisions.

The Board has found that there is a duty to assist error regarding the Veteran's claimed exposure to herbicide agents, and thus remands for further development.

The Board has granted earlier effective dates of March 30, 2021, for the evaluations of left lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy, left lower femoral nerve, left upper extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy (non-dominant), and right lower femoral nerve.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, on a presumptive basis due to in-service herbicide exposure (Agent Orange). The decision is based on the Veteran's credible statements and corroborative evidence indicating he worked near the base perimeter where herbicides were used.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II is presumed to be linked to his military service in the Republic of Vietnam.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for diabetes, left foot injury, left ankle disability, and left hip disability due to incomplete military personnel records and lack of VA treatment records. The Veteran's service connection claims will be reconsidered after obtaining these records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus as due to his service-connected hypertension has been denied. His claim for a rating of 20 percent prior to June 9, 2023, for hypertension is granted.

The Veteran's appeal regarding an increased rating for diabetes mellitus with foot ulcers has been dismissed because the appellant's representative withdrew the appeal.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further examination and opinion regarding service connection for left knee disability, diabetes mellitus, and erectile dysfunction due to incomplete medical opinions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II was present within one year of his separation from active duty, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the claims for higher ratings for type II diabetes mellitus and erectile dysfunction, as well as for an effective date prior to June 28, 2017, for service connection of tension headaches.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's diagnosed diabetes mellitus type II (DMII) disability, finding that it is secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine disabilities and caused by obesity resulting from those conditions.