Diabetes Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and remanded the issue of entitlement to an increased level of special monthly compensation (SMC).

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, recurrent hemorrhoids, a recurrent bilateral eye disability (glaucoma and cataracts), a recurrent disability manifested by hair loss, a dental disability (rotten teeth), hypertension, erectile dysfunction, a recurrent lower extremity disability (tendinitis), and bilateral hearing loss. These claims are being remanded for further development.

The appeals for reopening a service connection claim for a respiratory disorder, and for service connection for gout, bilateral feet; a separate bilateral foot disorder, including plantar fasciitis and flat foot; and urinary frequency are dismissed. The appeals for increased ratings for left carpal tunnel syndrome and right hand ganglion cyst are also dismissed. The appeals for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, diabetic neuropathy of the right upper extremity, diabetic neuropathy of the left upper extremity, diabetic neuropathy of the right lower extremity, diabetic neuropathy of the left lower extremity, and sleep disorder (including sleep apnea, chronic insomnia, and paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea) are remanded.

The Veteran is granted a special monthly pension (SMP) based on the need for aid and attendance due to her disability, which is reasonably certain to remain throughout her lifetime.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a lack of evidence and because he did not provide private treatment records or attend his VA examinations. The Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents in Vietnam, but missed his VA examinations.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted since November 10, 2017, due to his service-connected disabilities making him unable to engage in substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's CAD is now rated at 60 percent effective April 10, 2023. Prior to this date, the rating was 30 percent.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type 2 and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, finding no evidence to support these claims.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus with right eye diabetic cataracts retinopathy is rated at 20 percent, effective July 16, 2021. The Veteran's LLE peripheral neuropathy is also rated at 20 percent from that date. However, the Veteran's RLE peripheral neuropathy remains rated at 10 percent prior to December 17, 2021 and in excess of 20 percent thereafter.

The Veteran's appeals for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, type II (DMII), and prostate cancer have been dismissed due to his death. The Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of these claims as he died during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities has been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 40 percent due to lack of severe incomplete paralysis with marked muscular atrophy.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II is granted as presumptively due to herbicide agent exposure during his service in Thailand.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic headache disability, diabetes, and hypertension were denied. The claim for GERD was granted with a rating of 60 percent but no higher.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes type II prior to March 6, 2023. The claims for diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities are remanded due to a lack of an opinion regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for ischemic heart disease and diabetes mellitus, as they are presumed to be related to herbicide exposure during service. The VA is required to provide a medical examination and opinion regarding the relationship between these conditions and the conceded toxic exposure risk activities.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected conditions and his death, as well as the potential impact of in-service herbicide exposure.

The Board granted service connection for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma effective March 15, 2021. The appeal regarding the proposed earlier effective date of August 10, 2022, was dismissed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus type II, diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity, hypothyroidism, and hypertension, render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation. As such, he is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicides in Vietnam. The AOJ is instructed to investigate whether members of the 1st Mobile Communications Group were sent on temporary duty assignments to Vietnam during the relevant time period.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to specific dates have been denied. The Veteran was granted service connection and compensation, but the effective dates were not earlier than the dates of receipt or entitlement.