Diabetes Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal was denied because he did not timely file a valid Notice of Disagreement or Higher-Level Review request within one year of the February 2019 rating decision.

The Board has decided that the case needs to be returned for further development regarding the Veteran's exposure to pesticides in service, specifically DDT. The current decision does not address service connection.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and TDIU were dismissed due to his death. The Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of these claims as he died during the appeal process.

The Board has found the VA Centralized Eligibility and Appeals Team (CEAT) review inadequate to support the decision made, as it did not address whether the Veteran requires personal care services for at least six continuous months based on an inability to perform an activity of daily living (ADL). The case is remanded for further review.

The Veteran's service connection claim for type II diabetes mellitus is granted due to exposure to herbicide agents during his service in Korea, where he was stationed near the DMZ. The Board found that the Veteran's statements regarding his time spent on or near the Korean DMZ were credible and resolved all doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The appeal for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus is dismissed as the Veteran's claim has already been granted. The appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are remanded.

The Board denied service connection for diabetic neuropathy as secondary to diabetes mellitus type II, finding that the Veteran has not been granted service connection for diabetes.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions are not service-connected due to lack of evidence showing a link between his active duty service and the disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for loss of use of the right hand, left hand, right foot, and left foot as secondary to diabetic peripheral neuropathy.,The Veteran's claim was not granted because there is no separate diagnosis of a hand or foot disorder distinct from his already service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's bladder cancer was rated at 100% from October 15, 2018 through September 30, 2020. Additionally, the Veteran's service-connected diabetes and diabetic neuropathy were combined to result in a 70% rating during this period, meeting the criteria for Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) at the 's' rate.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II is granted as presumptively related to his exposure to herbicide agents during active service in Thailand, based on the PACT Act.

The Veteran's service connection for diabetes mellitus type 2 is granted due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents under the PACT Act.

The Veteran's combined service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since October 31, 2014. His TDIU claim is granted.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, and erectile dysfunction due to insufficient evidence or need for further examination.

The Board has found that a remand is necessary to obtain a VA occupational evaluation due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, which may affect his ability to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's increased ratings claims for diabetic retinopathy and neuropathy were denied, and the Board finds that a VA examination was needed to evaluate his diabetes. The case is being remanded to provide these examinations.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is found to be causally related to an in-service event, specifically his service from January 1960 to April 1969. As a result, the claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus is granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the onset and etiology of the Veteran's diabetes mellitus. The Veteran contends that his diabetes mellitus began during service, but the VA examiner did not adequately address this claim.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to address the Veteran's claims for service connection, including determining if he was exposed to herbicide agents during his military service and whether his current conditions are related to such exposure.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus and hypertension are presumed to be related to service due to exposure to herbicide agents. However, the direct service connection for diabetes mellitus and hypertension is remanded as there is insufficient evidence regarding their cause.