Diabetes Board decisions

The January 27, 2009 rating decision granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II with an effective date of November 1, 2008. The Board found that the RO committed legal and factual errors in not considering the Veteran's July 18, 2008 submission as an informal claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received for the previously denied claims of diabetes mellitus type II, lung condition (also claimed as breathing problems), obstructive sleep apnea, and skin condition (claimed as psoriasis). The claims are being remanded to allow for a VA examination and further analysis.

The Veteran's TDIU and DEA benefits were granted effective February 10, 2020, due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's cause of death, high grade retroperitoneal liposarcoma with contributing conditions of diabetes mellitus and hypertension, is found to be service-connected. The Board vacated the previous decision denying this claim due to an administrative error.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to the lack of recent evaluations for his heart condition, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension. The RO should order new examinations to assess these conditions.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection were denied. The rating for diabetic neuropathy of the right and left legs was also denied, as well as claims for gastrointestinal and left ankle disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus type II, and hypertension have been granted. Hypertension is granted based on the PACT Act.,Service connection has also been established for erectile dysfunction as secondary to diabetes mellitus, cataracts as secondary to diabetes mellitus, and chronic kidney disease as secondary to diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of type II diabetes mellitus is dismissed.

The Veteran's renal failure is granted as secondary to his service-connected diabetes with erectile dysfunction. The Board has also remanded for further examination and rating of the Veteran's diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II is presumed due to his in-service exposure to tactical herbicides, specifically Agent Orange, and granted service connection under the PACT Act. The effective date of this decision is August 10, 2022.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to insufficient evidence of his employment history and income levels, despite meeting the criteria for TDIU. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the threshold minimum requirements for TDIU as he was unable to provide specific information about his educational and occupational background.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection are being remanded due to inadequate examination reports, incomplete medical records, and procedural issues.,VA will attempt to obtain additional medical records from private providers and issue a supplemental statement of the case if necessary.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's representative did not receive a timely copy of the March 2020 Statement of the Case (SOC) concerning the earlier effective date claims for various conditions. The appeals are being remanded to issue a SOC on these issues.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development, including obtaining missing audiograms and considering private treatment records regarding the Veteran's heart disability. The TDIU claim is inextricably intertwined with the other claims.

The Veteran's left foot degenerative arthritis is granted service connection. The issues of service connection for coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type II, allergic rhinitis, chronic sinusitis, and chronic bronchitis are remanded due to inadequate VA nexus opinions.

The Veteran's claim for initial ratings of 40 percent for diabetic peripheral neuropathy, right and left lower extremities, sciatic nerve was granted. SMC for loss of use of the lower extremities is denied.

The Board has vacated its previous remand decisions and is now remanding the claims for increased evaluations of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, onychomycosis, and erectile dysfunction. The AOJ must ensure that separate compensable ratings are assigned if appropriate.

The Board dismissed the appeals for ratings in excess of 10 percent, 20 percent, and 40 percent for hypertension, adult-onset diabetes with erectile dysfunction and mild nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy, and voiding dysfunction respectively due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including ischemic heart disease and complications of diabetes mellitus such as diabetic peripheral neuropathy in the upper and lower extremities, render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. He is also entitled to SMC at the housebound rate due to his additional service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective dates are being remanded due to the need to obtain additional evidence, including Social Security Administration records.