Diabetes Board decisions

The veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been granted. Service connection has been established for neck disability, back disability, bilateral knee and leg disabilities, pes planus, and hearing loss. Increased ratings have been assigned for hypertension and skin disorders.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and a heart disorder as the claims were not well grounded due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to any period of active service.

The Board found no medical evidence linking the veteran's cause of death to his period of service, and denied the claim for service connection.

The veteran's diabetes mellitus is found to be related to his service-connected tuberculosis, thus the claim for secondary service connection is granted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for right peroneal nerve palsy and diabetes mellitus secondary to his service-connected frozen feet are well grounded. The RO is directed to schedule a VA examination to determine if there is a relationship between the veteran's service-connected disabilities and his current conditions, including degenerative joint disease of both feet and bilateral hammertoe deformities. If appropriate, the RO should readjudicate the claims for service connection and individual unemployability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral pes planus, diabetes, and an ear disability. The decision also noted that new evidence submitted since the July 1955 rating decision was not considered material to reopen the claim for bilateral pes planus.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his diabetes mellitus, diabetic retinopathy, and diabetic neuropathy were denied. The veteran was not granted a compensable evaluation for impotency.

The veteran's diabetes mellitus is rated at 40 percent, and his service-connected neuropathies are all rated at the maximum allowable under VA rating criteria. The veteran has been found to be unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus is not warranted based on the evidence provided.

The Board granted the veteran's request for waiver of overpayment of VA vocational rehabilitation benefits, finding that the fault in creating the overpayment outweighed any fault attributed to VA.

The Board found no evidence linking the veteran's cause of death to his service or any service-connected conditions, and thus denied the claim as not well-grounded.

The veteran's claim for reimbursement of unauthorized private hospitalization and medical expenses is granted as the treatment was necessary due to a medical emergency, and no VA or other Federal facilities were feasibly available.

The Board has determined that there is no well-grounded claim for service connection of diabetes mellitus, as the medical evidence does not establish a causal relationship between the veteran's service-connected disabilities and his current condition.

The veteran's claim for special monthly compensation on the basis of need for regular aid and attendance or at the housebound rate has been remanded due to additional evidence submitted by the appellant. The RO is instructed to obtain updated VA medical records, arrange for a VA examination, and readjudicate the claim in light of this new information.

The Board granted an increased evaluation for chronic renal failure, but denied service connection for diabetes mellitus as secondary to the service-connected chronic renal failure.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction was denied as the evidence did not show that he had been diagnosed and manifested to at least a 10 percent disability rating on or prior to May 8, 2001.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, visual impairment, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction due to lack of exposure to herbicide agents during service. The Veteran's claims were not granted.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the claims for sleep apnea and an increased disability rating for diabetes mellitus, type II.