Diabetes Board decisions

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus, type II and loss of use of a creative organ (erectile dysfunction) due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran, including personal statements and articles regarding exposure to Agent Orange in Korea.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disability, diabetes mellitus, type II, eye disability, and psychiatric disability (depression). The Veteran's lumbar spine condition is not related to his service. His diabetes mellitus, type II, was not shown within one year of separation from service. His eye disabilities are not related to service or a service-connected condition. His depression is considered as secondary to his service-connected bilateral pes planus.,The Board also denied service connection for hypertension and remanded the issue.

The Board has remanded the case due to inextricably intertwined issues, and will be reconsidered after adjudication of other service connection claims.

The Board denied service connection for a right foot disorder, diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM), and a bilateral leg disorder. The denial is based on the absence of current diagnoses and insufficient evidence to support the claims.

The Board has granted service connection for Obstructive Sleep Apnea, but denied service connection for Diabetes.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for lower lumbar neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities, as well as an increased rating for peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, has been dismissed. The Veteran was granted TDIU.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD have been remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for diabetic peripheral neuropathy and cellulitis as secondary to service-connected diabetes due to their interrelated nature.

The Veteran's service connection for coronary artery disease, left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy was granted with effective dates of August 26, 2019. A rating of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus was also granted with an effective date of May 30, 2011.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, heart disorder, and diabetes mellitus type II with peripheral arterial disease, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU based on the combined effects of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to exposure to Agent Orange, as well as secondary service connection for hypertension, diabetic retinopathy, and lack of blood flow to the lower extremities. The Veteran's reported exposure in Guam is being verified, and a VA examination will be scheduled to determine the etiology of his diabetes and coronary artery disease.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus and associated diabetic peripheral neuropathy are being remanded for further evaluation due to a lack of recent VA examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from attending to the needs of nature, caring for himself, or protecting himself from the hazards of his environment.,Financial assistance for automobile or other conveyance and adaptive equipment or adaptive equipment only is denied as the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not result in loss or permanent loss of use of one or both feet.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type 2, with erectile dysfunction and bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy is currently rated at 20 percent. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating as there is no indication of regulation of activities by a physician.,The Veteran's coronary artery disease (CAD) is currently rated at 30 percent. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating as there is no evidence of congestive heart failure, left ventricular dysfunction with an ejection fraction between 30 and 50 percent, or workload less than 3 METs resulting in dyspnea, fatigue, angina, dizziness, or syncope.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities are denied as there is no evidence of current disability or a relationship to active service.

The Veteran was granted service connection for an unspecified depressive disorder, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, congestive heart failure, COPD, type II diabetes mellitus, and chronic kidney disease.,Service connection was also granted for the cause of the Veteran's death due to acute congestive heart failure, with type II diabetes mellitus as a significant condition contributing to death.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's ischemic heart disease and/or diabetes caused or contributed to his death. A new medical opinion is needed.

The Board has determined that further development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, bilateral ankle disorder, right knee disorder, and sleep apnea. The case will be remanded to obtain VA medical opinions on these issues.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for higher initial ratings on all of his service-connected conditions, except for loss of automatic movements and speech changes which were granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities precluded him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted entitlement to TDIU effective April 1, 2019. The issue of TDIU prior to September 13, 2018 is remanded for extraschedular consideration.