Diabetes Board decisions

The Board denied service connection for diabetic nephropathy as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis during the Veteran's lifetime.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for strokes, diabetes mellitus type II, myocardial infarctions, hypertension, and coronary artery disease due to incomplete development of the Veteran's service records.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and readjudication due to the absence of relevant VA treatment records.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, OSA, erectile dysfunction, hypertension, bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and a bilateral foot disability due to lack of in-service diagnosis or exposure to herbicide agents.,Service connection was not granted on a direct basis as there is no evidence of continuity of symptoms from service.

The Veteran's throat condition is currently diagnosed as esophageal polyps, which were not present at the time of his previous VA examinations. The Board finds a need for additional medical opinion to determine if this condition is related to service.,The Veteran has multiple service-connected disabilities rated at 100 percent (coronary artery disease) and additional service-connected disabilities independently ratable at 60 percent (right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, left upper extremity radiculopathy, diabetes mellitus). However, the Veteran is not considered housebound due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for fibromyalgia was denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition.,Multiple issues were remanded, including heart disorder, prostate disorder, diabetes mellitus, thyroid disorder, headache disorder, skin disability, sinus disorder with allergies, hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, gout, left shoulder disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, left leg disability, and right leg disability.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus is being remanded due to the Board not providing sufficient reasons and bases for its reliance on the June 2018 VA examination regarding complications from his diabetes, specifically decreased kidney function and cardiovascular problems.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death was related to his service-connected ischemic heart disease and diabetes, finding them at least in equipoise with respect to causation. As a result, service connection for the cause of death is granted.

The Veteran is granted service connection for prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus, and bladder cancer due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during his military service.,The Veteran's cause of death was also found to be related to his service-connected prostate cancer.

The Veteran's service connection claims for diabetes mellitus, type II and diabetic retinopathy have been denied as there is no evidence of a nexus to service or presumptive exposure. The Board finds the Veteran's assertions regarding his in-service onset are not credible given the lack of contemporaneous medical records.,Service connection has also been denied for neurological disorders of the lower extremities, with the Board finding that the Veteran did not have such conditions during service and there is no evidence linking them to service or presumptive exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension on a secondary basis to diabetes mellitus, type II. The decision is based on the presumption of herbicide exposure due to service in Vietnam and the Veteran's history of both conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for diabetes mellitus, type II was withdrawn by his authorized representative before the Board could make a decision.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disabilities because he failed to provide necessary information and evidence, and there is no evidence showing that his service-connected conditions alone preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service connection claims for Female Sexual Arousal Disorder and Tinea Pedis are denied as there is no current diagnosis of these conditions.,The Veteran's service connection claim for Recurrent Tinnitus is granted based on her credible testimony about the onset and continuity of symptoms. The Board finds that she has competent, credible testimony regarding tinnitus.,The Veteran's service connection claims for Anemia, Hypertension, Type 2 Diabetes, Right Knee Disability, Left Knee Disability, Right Extremity Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Left Extremity Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, and Right Foot Plantar Fasciitis are denied as there is no evidence of these conditions during or within one year after service. The Board also finds that the Veteran did not have a knee condition, carpal tunnel syndrome, or plantar fasciitis in service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for Insomnia was referred back to the Regional Office for appropriate development and adjudication.

Service connection is granted for diabetes mellitus, type II and coronary artery disease. Service connection is also granted for chronic kidney disease, right eye diabetic retinopathy, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy as secondary to service-connected diabetes. Service connection is granted for congestive heart failure as secondary to coronary artery disease. The case is remanded for additional opinions on toxic optic neuropathy with altitudinal visual field defect and a heart disorder other than coronary artery disease.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU and DEA benefits was denied as the earliest discernible communication that constitutes a TDIU claim did not arise until November 6, 2017.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating and earlier effective date for diabetes mellitus, Type II with ED was denied. The Veteran is currently rated at 40 percent for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation from February 20, 2013, to October 16, 2018.

The Veteran's service connection claims for DM2 and CAD are granted. The Board also finds that the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents in Thailand, which is sufficient to grant service connection for his peripheral neuropathy conditions and kidney disorder as secondary to his now-service-connected DM2.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus and erectile dysfunction with penile deformity are both rated separately. The Board has granted a separate 20 percent rating for the erectile dysfunction, effective August 19, 2019.