Diabetes Board decisions

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus type II should be remanded due to new evidence being added to the claims file since the last decision.

The Veteran's combined disability rating is now at 100%, making the TDIU claim moot as he already has a single service-connected condition rated at 100%.

The Board has remanded the case due to errors in obtaining a VA medical examination and nexus opinion, as well as missing VA treatment records. The Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents is conceded based on his service at Nakhon Phanom RTAFB.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's hyperglycemia is related to his service, including his conceded in-service herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus, bilateral eye condition, and acquired psychiatric disorder due to inadequate opinions in previous decisions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, diabetes mellitus, and erectile dysfunction due to incomplete records and inadequate VA examination reports. The Veteran's claims are being returned for further development.

The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction is being remanded due to outstanding VA records not being associated with the claims file.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional evidence from the USPS OIG regarding a prior investigation into compensation benefits fraud.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's TDIU claims, including a schedular TDIU from August 10, 2022 and an extraschedular TDIU prior to that date. The Veteran meets the schedular criteria for TDIU consideration from August 10, 2022 but not prior to that date.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for higher SMC based on need for aid and attendance due to service-connected disabilities, as the evidence did not show he was bedridden or in need of regular aid and assistance.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for high cholesterol, peripheral arterial occlusive disease (claimed as muscle cramps, pain in legs, and trouble with holding and gripping items), hypertension, diabetes mellitus, seizure disorder, and cataracts due to outstanding VA treatment records. The Veteran's spouse testified that he received treatment at a VA clinic in Greeneville, Mississippi, and there was no indication of such records being obtained.

The Board has restored the Veteran's prior 20% ratings for right and left lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy, effective January 6, 2020.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for respiratory condition, diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and impotence as there is no evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service. The Board found that the current diagnoses are not related to service.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for recognition as a helpless child due to permanent incapacity for self-support prior to attaining 18 years of age, finding that the evidence did not support such a determination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial evaluation in excess of 20 percent for diabetic peripheral neuropathy, right and left lower extremities, as well as his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU). The issues are being remanded due to the need for new VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and its related peripheral neuropathy of all four extremities due to potential exposure to herbicide agents during service. The AOJ is instructed to obtain a VA medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, including whether it was caused by his duties as a necropsy technician, mortician, or embalmer in Guam.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for diabetes and a lung condition due to exposure to herbicides, as well as asbestos exposure. The appeals are being remanded for additional development including verifying in-service exposure to herbicide agents and asbestos, obtaining medical opinions regarding respiratory disabilities, and clarifying the record on childhood asthma history.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed conditions, finding that there was no evidence of in-service incurrence or a nexus to his current disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral foot disorder, type II diabetes mellitus, and left hand disorder. The evidence did not support the Veteran's claims that these conditions began during service or were related to in-service injuries.,For the bilateral foot disorder, the Board found no persuasive evidence of its onset during service or causation from an in-service injury. For type II diabetes mellitus, there was no showing of chronicity within a presumptive period and no noted condition in service. And for left hand disorder, there were no symptoms reported since service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate addendum medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's diabetes mellitus type 2. The examiner is asked to provide opinions on whether the condition began during service, was caused by or aggravated any service-connected conditions, and if obesity may be an intermediate step in causing the disability.