Diabetes Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various neurological conditions, including Bell's palsy and diabetes mellitus type II, were denied as these conditions are not shown to be related to service or service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes, hypertension, and unspecified trauma and stress-related disorder with major depressive disorder and schizophrenia have been withdrawn. The claim of service connection for unspecified trauma and stress-related disorder has been granted.

The Board has found that further development is necessary for the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, retinopathy, and cataracts. The AOJ must obtain private treatment records from Sweetwater Medical Clinic and Dr. Tara Mullen, as well as verify the Veteran's claimed exposure to herbicides in Korea.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, erectile dysfunction (ED), and type II diabetes mellitus (DM) are being REMANDED due to the need for further development regarding the etiology of ED and DM.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, finding that there was no evidence of in-service exposure to hazardous materials and insufficient competent medical evidence linking her current diagnosis to service.

The Board has found that the case does not involve the reopening of a disallowed claim, and thus the proper effective date is either the date the ABCMR received the Veteran's application for upgrade or the date of receipt of the initial claim for service connection. The Board needs to obtain the application for upgrade and any evidence documenting its receipt by the ABCMR.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as presumptively related to herbicide exposure under the PACT Act. Service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities are denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and increased ratings for his service-connected diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities. The Veteran will need to provide updated medical records, including an EMG and nerve conduction study from April 2012, and a VA examination to assess the current severity of his disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches was denied because the evidence did not support a link between his current headaches and active service. His claim for TDIU prior to September 25, 2015 was also denied as he had multiple service-connected disabilities that did not preclude his employability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus as there is no current diagnosis of the condition during the appeal period.

The Board has remanded the case due to unclear information regarding whether Actos, a medication prescribed by the Veteran in 1998 or 1999, could have been used as a first-line treatment for diabetes or prediabetes. The VA needs to obtain additional medical records and consult with an endocrinologist to clarify this point.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypothyroidism, benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus, and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are granted due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during his active duty service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, and peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity due to a lack of information regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents in the Korean DMZ. The Veteran is requested to provide VA with additional information about his Korea service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further development. The Veteran's death was caused by acute hypoxemic arrest, with COPD as a contributory cause.

The Veteran's diabetes and related disabilities are remanded for further evaluation, including a new VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected conditions. The issue of TDIU is also remanded due to its inextricability with the increased rating claims.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration due to incomplete information regarding income, expenses, and net worth. Additionally, a medical opinion is needed to determine if the Veteran's diabetes preexisted service or was aggravated during service.

The Board denied service connection for prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus type II (DMII), and erectile dysfunction (ED) as claimed due to herbicide exposure. The Veteran's time in Korea was not covered by the legislative presumption of herbicide agent exposure.

The Veteran's appeal for increased disability ratings and individual unemployability has been remanded due to the need to obtain private medical records related to his type II diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been REMANDED due to the need for verification of exposure to herbicide agents and other chemicals, as well as further examination to determine the nature and etiology of her conditions.

The Board denied service connection for the claimed conditions, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between the Veteran's current disabilities and his active military service.