Diabetes Board decisions

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and increased ratings have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal. The Veteran's asthma with sleep apnea has not met the criteria for higher ratings.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate evaluations and a need for an opinion from an endocrinologist or other clinician with experience in diabetes.

The Board has denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, hypertension, left hip disability, right hip disability, and right shoulder disability. The psychiatric disorder claim is remanded as the Veteran did not undergo a VA examination to determine its etiology.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and are granted. The appeal is remanded for further development to determine the nature and etiology of his acquired psychiatric disorders, lung disability, right-hand injury, liver disabilities, and diabetes.

The Veteran's allergic rhinitis, chronic sinusitis, diabetes, and thyroid disability are all granted as service-connected due to exposure to jet fuel during active duty. The claims for chronic bronchitis, hypertension, and back disability are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings for peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities due to a lack of recent VA examination. The TDIU claim is also being remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the other claims.

The Veteran's representative withdrew the appeals for prostate cancer, melanoma, diabetes mellitus type II, right leg peripheral neuropathy, and left leg peripheral neuropathy before a decision was made.

The Board has granted service connection for major depressive disorder. The remaining issues of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea, hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, erectile dysfunction, and a left arm condition are remanded due to the inextricability of these claims with respect to the grant of service connection for major depressive disorder.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his vision impairment and diabetes, render him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment from August 30, 2016. The case is remanded for consideration of a TDIU prior to this date.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, arthritis (other than of the back or neck), a neck disability, a low back disability, and a psychiatric disability due to incomplete development and potential errors in medical opinions. The claims will be further developed to include verification of qualifying service periods and comprehensive examinations.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, and he has been granted a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities. The combined rating of all conditions does not meet the criteria for a higher rating or TDIU.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, heart condition, and PTSD have been remanded due to the need for additional development regarding exposure to herbicides and contaminated water during service.

The Board denied a higher rating for diabetes mellitus, type II, finding that the Veteran's condition required only a restricted diet and oral hypoglycemic agent, but not regulation of activities. The evidence did not support a 40 percent rating as required by the criteria in effect from December 10, 2017.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there was no evidence of in-service exposure to Agent Orange and that the Veteran's conditions did not have their onset or manifest within one year of discharge. The Board also found that the Veteran's conditions were not otherwise causally related to his military service.

The Veteran's cause of death was listed as probable congestive heart failure, heart disease and diabetes. The Board found no evidence to support the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents (Agent Orange) during service, thus denying service connection for cause of death.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and diabetes mellitus due to inadequate opinions in previous VA examinations, requiring further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for ocular disabilities, other than diabetic retinopathy and left eye palsy, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and active service.

The Veteran was granted service connection for tinnitus and residuals of a pilonidal cyst, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, diabetes mellitus type II, skin disability other than a pilonidal cyst, and back disability.,Service connection was established for tinnitus due to exposure to noise during service. Residuals of the pilonidal cyst were also granted as it had its onset during service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation between May 20, 2009 and April 2, 2010.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the cause of the Veteran's death, specifically whether his service-connected conditions contributed to his diabetes and acute coronary insufficiency.