Diabetes Board decisions

The Board granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and diabetic peripheral neuropathy due to herbicide exposure, finding that the Veteran's service in the territorial waters of Vietnam was within 12 nautical miles of the shore.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have not been fully developed, as requested VA examinations were not conducted. The case is being remanded to schedule these exams.

The Board has remanded the claims for sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension due to lack of substantial compliance with previous directives. The Veteran's conditions are being reviewed again by VA examiners.

The Veteran's service connection claims for heart murmur, acquired psychiatric disorder, prostate cancer, sleep apnea, laryngitis, and diabetes were denied. The claim for heart murmur was reopened due to new evidence submitted since the last denial. Claims for acquired psychiatric disorder, prostate cancer, sleep apnea, laryngitis, and diabetes remain denied.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection were dismissed. A TDIU was granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for further investigation regarding his exposure to herbicides and proximity to base perimeters. The cervical spine disorder claim is denied as new evidence does not relate it to service, diabetes mellitus type II and heart disorder are remanded due to potential herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection and TDIU were denied. The Board found that the earliest date on which it was factually ascertainable that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unemployable was October 9, 2009, but did not find any evidence of peripheral neuropathy prior to March 13, 2018.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of response from the National Personnel Records Center regarding the Veteran's complete official military personnel file and service treatment records. The case will be returned for further review.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea was denied as the evidence did not support a finding that his OSA began during service or was related to an in-service injury.,The effective date of the award of service connection for PTSD is set at September 23, 2010, which is when the Veteran's request to reopen his claim was received by VA.,The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied as he had multiple service-connected disabilities (PTSD and diabetes mellitus) but did not meet the criteria for a TDIU based on these conditions alone.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetic peripheral neuropathy of his upper and lower extremities due to a conflict in the evidence regarding whether he currently has this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining outstanding VA and private treatment records and providing the Veteran with a VA examination to assess his diabetes mellitus type II.

The Board has denied service connection for left knee disability, DM II, heart disability, and hypertension. The evidence does not support a finding of current disabilities or causal relationships to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him so helpless as to require the regular aid and attendance of another person, warranting entitlement to SMC at the aid and attendance rate.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for heart disease, diabetes mellitus type 2, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction are remanded due to insufficient evidence of herbicide agent exposure during his military service.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction, finding that the Veteran's condition did not meet the criteria for higher ratings based on regulation of activities or other complications.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a prostate condition has been withdrawn. Service connection is granted for diabetes mellitus type 2, and the claims of left lower extremity neuropathy, right lower extremity neuropathy, and hypertension are remanded.

The Veteran's need for the aid and attendance of another person due to service-connected disabilities was established as of November 8, 2019. The effective date for SMC based on this need is set at that time.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and low back disability due to inadequate examination findings, new evidence required, or need for additional development.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction and proteinuria was denied as the evidence did not show that his diabetes required regulation of activities or resulted in episodes of hypoglycemia or ketoacidosis sufficient to warrant such a higher rating.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is found to have caused his obesity, which in turn led to diabetes mellitus type II. Service connection for diabetes mellitus type II is granted.