Diabetes Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prior to April 22, 2011, prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has found that there was substantial compliance with the prior remand directives and has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and service personnel records. The primary issue is whether the Veteran's diabetes mellitus had its onset during his active duty service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's type II diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, and eczema are not service-connected due to lack of evidence supporting a nexus between these conditions and active service. The issues have been remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the onset and relationship of these conditions to service.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II is currently rated at 20 percent, but the Board finds that it does not warrant a higher rating. The lung condition issue (COPD) and heart condition issue are both remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeals for various conditions have been dismissed due to their death.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, coronary artery disease, hypertension, bilateral eye disorder, right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy due to exposure to herbicide agents during military service in the Korean DMZ. The TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, posttraumatic stress disorder, diabetes mellitus, and tinnitus, rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment from April 30, 2014, to October 16, 2014. The Board granted TDIU on an extraschedular basis for this period.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetic retinopathy was granted, and he is now entitled to a grant of service connection.,His claims for left elbow bursitis and right elbow bursitis were denied. The Veteran also received an initial 70% disability rating for PTSD, a 40% disability rating for diabetes mellitus starting from September 6, 2019, and a 40% disability rating for peripheral neuropathy in both lower extremities since February 20, 2018. The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease was also denied.

Your service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus associated with herbicide exposure has been granted and is rated at 20 percent. The effective date of this grant is November 13, 2022.

The Board denied service connection for type II diabetes mellitus as there was no evidence of a current disability related to service, and the Veteran's claim was not based on any presumptive exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of clarity in the record regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him in need of regular aid and attendance prior to February 24, 2021. The Veteran will be scheduled for an examination to address this question.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding the severity of his bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy and diabetic peripheral neuropathy, sciatic nerve, as well as earlier effective dates for these conditions. The issues are inextricably intertwined with the increased rating claims.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus type 2, heart disease, and peripheral neuropathy of multiple extremities due to inadequate VA examinations and incomplete medical opinions. The Veteran was exposed to jet fuels during service but exposure to herbicide agents is not conceded.

The Veteran's type 2 diabetes mellitus and carcinoma in situ of the larynx are presumed to have developed as a result of active service due to exposure to herbicide agents, specifically Agent Orange. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, kidney disease, hypertension, hemorrhoids, hyperlipidemia, and a back condition have been denied as the evidence does not support a relationship to service.,Service connection is denied for all claimed conditions due to lack of in-service event or injury, no continuity of symptomatology, and insufficient medical evidence linking any current disability to service.

The Board has vacated its decision regarding the rating assigned for diabetes mellitus, type II. The issues of secondary service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy are remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran was not exposed to herbicide agents during service, and therefore, his claims for diabetes mellitus, type II; diabetic nephropathy; Parkinsonism; and hypertension are denied as they are not related to service.

The Board granted a Level 2 stipend in the PCAFC program for the Veteran due to his need for continuous supervision, protection, or instruction as determined by the April 2023 VFAI evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding his claims of service connection and increased rating, as well as earlier effective date issues. The Board finds pre-decisional duty to assist errors in the current record.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining updated VA medical records and a new VA examination. The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction is rated at 20 percent, but the Board found that regulation of activities was not required to warrant a higher rating.