Diabetes Board decisions

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus, bilateral knee condition (to include arthritis), bilateral hearing loss, and psychiatric condition due to a lack of service records and incomplete information regarding the Veteran's reported stressor.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional evaluations and evidence. The Board will not make a final determination on these issues until further review.

The Board has decided to remand several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected conditions, including a higher rating for lumbar spine degenerative disc/joint disease and claims of service connection for coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, and sleep apnea. The decision also includes a request for an updated TDIU application.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of diabetes mellitus is remanded due to a duty to assist error. The Board requests a VA medical opinion to determine if the current diagnosis of diabetes mellitus was caused by herbicide agent exposure during service at Anderson AFB in Guam.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II is granted on a presumptive basis due to herbicide exposure in Thailand.,The Veteran's rectal cancer is granted as due to herbicide exposure during service.

The Veteran's right ankle condition is rated at 10 percent, but the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,The Veteran was granted TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the appellant's request for an effective date prior to July 27, 2022 for the grant of service connection for left and right lower extremity diabetic neuropathy. The claim was based on a final denial of his increased rating for service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.

The Veteran's hypertension and diabetes mellitus (due to herbicide exposure) were granted initial ratings, with hypertension receiving a non-compensable rating prior to September 7, 2022, and a 10 percent rating from that date. The Veteran's diabetes was granted a 40 percent disability rating.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II and associated diabetic polyneuropathies have been granted effective from May 12, 2014.,An initial rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including type II diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, hypertension, and peripheral neuropathy, all potentially related to herbicide exposure during his time at Fort Gordon, Georgia. The AOJ is instructed to verify the Veteran's alleged exposure to herbicides.

The Veteran's diabetes, bilateral lower extremity diabetic neuropathy, and kidney disorder are related to his service in Southwest Asia. The claims must be remanded for further development.

The Veteran's initial rating for diabetes mellitus type 2 was denied, but an effective date of July 21, 2015, and special monthly compensation were granted. The Veteran's erectile dysfunction and left/right sciatic peripheral neuropathy were not rated higher than the assigned levels.

The Veteran's initial claim for higher ratings and earlier effective date for sleep apnea was denied. The Board also found that the Veteran is not entitled to a TDIU prior to November 4, 2014.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetic retinopathy, gastrointestinal disorder, and hypothyroidism due to Camp Lejeune exposure are denied.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for internal hemorrhoids, glaucoma, and hypertension as secondary to diabetes mellitus are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral foot swelling (edema) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.

The Veteran's heart condition is not related to active service or exposure to herbicide agents.,Diabetes was not shown during service, did not develop within one year of separation from service, and is not related to exposure to herbicide agents. The Veteran's diabetes developed more than one year after separation from service.,Arthritis is not related to active service and did not develop within one year of separation from service.,The chronic pain condition (fibromyalgia) is not related to active service and did not develop within one year of separation from service.,Left ear hearing loss was not shown during service, and the Veteran's current left ear hearing loss does not meet VA standards for a disability. The examiner opined that it is less likely than not related to an event or injury during active service.

The Veteran's application to reopen claims for service connection for DMII, PTSD, and CAD have been granted. The claim for service connection for CAD is granted under the PACT Act presumption of exposure to herbicide agents in Guam. The claims for DMII and PTSD are remanded due to lack of verification of stressors.,The Veteran's application to reopen a claim for service connection for DMII has been granted, with the issue being granted under the PACT Act presumption of exposure to herbicide agents in Guam. The claim for service connection for CAD is also granted under the PACT Act presumption of exposure to herbicide agents in Guam.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right and left upper extremities, as well as for peripheral arterial occlusion of the lower extremities. The Veteran's current diagnoses are being evaluated to determine if they are related to his military service.,The Board has also remanded the claim for diabetes mellitus, as well as the claims for peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities. These claims will be reviewed to determine if there is a nexus between the Veteran's current diagnoses and his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, bilateral lower and upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, residuals of a gallbladder disability, back disability, and diabetic retinopathy due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam. The claims for secondary service connection have also been granted.

The Board denied entitlement to service connection for the cause of death, circulation problems in bilateral legs, and strokes.,The evidence did not support a finding that any of these conditions were related to the Veteran's active service or service-connected disabilities.