Diabetes Board decisions

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, and degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine due to secondary service connection. The hernia residuals claim is also remanded for a new VA examination to address limitation of motion. TDIU remains deferred pending further development.

The Veteran died from a head injury in a motor vehicle accident. The cause of death is unclear, as the medical incident (confusion and slurred speech) could be related to a stroke, heart attack, or hypoglycemia. The Board finds that additional information is needed regarding the Veteran's medical condition and incident.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,Service connection for anxiety/depression and diabetes mellitus type II is denied.,Service connection for fibromyalgia is remanded due to lack of a VA examination opinion.

The Board has granted service connection for pulmonary nodule/lung disability, diabetes mellitus, type II, and lumbar spine disability. The evidence is in equipoise concerning the etiology of these conditions, with a private examiner finding an association between the Veteran's current conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, has been rated as 20 percent disabling. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating for this condition.,Separate ratings are sought for urinary and eye disabilities secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II. These issues require additional development including obtaining medical records and clarifying current diagnoses.

The Veteran's application to reopen the claim for service connection of liver transplant is granted. Service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, and cirrhosis of the liver (claimed as secondary to hepatitis C) are granted. The claims for service connection of tinnitus and hepatitis C are remanded.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, finding that it is related to his diabetes mellitus and conceded herbicide exposure. The decision also acknowledges the Veteran's current diagnosis of type II diabetes.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, chloracne, fungus of the hands and feet, and PTSD are being remanded due to new evidence potentially connecting these conditions to in-service exposure. The AOJ will determine if U.S.S. KEARSARGE (CVS 33) was within 12 nautical miles of Vietnam during relevant time periods.

The Board has determined that the Veteran had service in Vietnam and is therefore presumed to have been exposed to herbicide agents. As a result, diabetes mellitus type II and ischemic heart disease (including atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease) are presumptively service connected due to exposure to herbicide agents. The cause of the Veteran's death, which was caused by these conditions, is therefore granted.

The Board has found that there was not substantial compliance with the February 2022 remand requests and thus, the case is being returned to obtain Goldmann visual field charts from various dates. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his bilateral glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and cataracts is now pending.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II was granted on December 8, 2000. The effective date is set at this time.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The rating for residuals of left ear cyst excision was also denied.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine disorder and diabetes mellitus, type II, finding that the Veteran's conditions were not shown to be causally related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for skin lesions, cysts, basal cell carcinoma, colon cancer, and diabetes mellitus due to conflicting medical opinions.,The Veteran's death prevented a final determination on these claims.

The Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents in Thailand and Vietnam is presumed, leading to the grant of service connection for his cause of death due to atherosclerotic heart disease and diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate VA examination opinions regarding military environmental exposures and their relation to the Veteran's cause of death. The examiner is asked to provide an opinion on whether it is approximately as likely as not that the Veteran's cause of death was related to such exposures.

The Board denied service connection for a cardiac disability and diabetes mellitus, finding that the Veteran was not exposed to herbicides or insecticides during his active service at Fort Rucker. The medical evidence did not support a link between any alleged in-service exposure to these substances and the current disabilities.,Service connection was also denied on a direct basis as there were no records of pre-existing conditions prior to service, and post-service treatment records showed that neither disability is related directly to active service.

The Veteran's spine injury claim has been reopened, and service connection for a spine injury is granted.,Service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity is granted as secondary to service-connected type II diabetes mellitus. Service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity is also granted as secondary to service-connected type II diabetes mellitus.,The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy and type II diabetes mellitus are denied due to failure to appear for scheduled VA examinations without showing good cause.,Service connection for a spine injury is remanded, as the Veteran has provided evidence of a fall at a VA facility in November 2014 that may be related to his service-connected conditions. The RO must seek all relevant records and conduct appropriate development regarding this claim.,Entitlement to specially adapted housing and special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance or being housebound is remanded, as the Veteran has provided evidence of a spine injury and peripheral neuropathy claims that may be related to VA care.

The Veteran's claim to reopen the service connection for diabetes mellitus is granted, and the case is remanded for further development regarding the exposure basis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus type II, left hip condition, left knee condition, neck injury, prostate condition, respiratory condition, and sleep disorder due to incomplete medical records and potential exposure to a nerve agent during service.