Diabetes Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II was granted with an effective date of May 4, 2012. The grant was based on presumptive exposure to Agent Orange during service.

Your claims for service connection have been granted, but the appeals are dismissed as moot because the benefits requested have already been provided.

The Veteran's death from esophageal cancer is now considered service-connected due to the combination of his service-connected PTSD and DMII, which substantially contributed to his condition.

The Veteran's left eye diabetic retinopathy and cataracts are granted as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II. A separate noncompensable rating for right eye macular edema is denied from December 3, 2013 to May 13, 2018. The Veteran is now entitled to a 60 percent rating for right eye macular edema and bilateral cataracts beginning as of May 13, 2018.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on aid and attendance is remanded due to the need for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's hypertension is being remanded for further examination and opinion regarding its relationship to his service-connected diabetes type 2, as well as whether it was caused by herbicide exposure during service. The case will also be examined for direct service connection based on herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted as of September 12, 2018 due to his service-connected disabilities meeting the schedular criteria for a TDIU.

All issues related to knee arthritis and diabetes mellitus are remanded for further development. The Veteran's hypertension is granted as secondary to his service-connected diabetes. Service connection for diabetic nephropathy is granted with an effective date of December 6, 2016.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, heart disability, and prostate cancer as the Veteran did not have exposure to herbicide agents during his service.

Service connection is granted for diabetes mellitus, type II (diabetes), peripheral neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities, and sleep apnea.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, DM, PN in both lower and upper extremities, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted a TDIU based on these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus, type II and bilateral eye disability due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology. The Veteran's service records show exposure to lead paint and other solvents but not asbestos or other chemicals.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU, rendering moot his claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and IHD.,The Veteran's service-connected hypertension has been granted as presumptively related to herbicide exposure during service.

The Board has remanded the claims for hypertension, vision loss, sore throat, left knee disorder, and right knee disorder due to lack of evidence supporting service connection.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, Parkinson's disease, and ischemic heart disease due to herbicide exposure. The VA is instructed to verify the Veteran's claimed exposure at Ubon Air Force Base in Thailand and provide an opinion on whether the fasting blood sugar note was an early indicator of diabetes.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining additional VA treatment records and arranging for a VA examination. The examiner will need to determine if there is any additional right foot disability present after the Veteran's December 2011 ORIF procedure, whether such disability is related to VA care or the Veteran's failure to follow medical instructions, and whether it was due to VA fault.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for diabetes mellitus type II and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for diabetes mellitus, as it did not meet the criteria for a 60 percent or higher rating under Diagnostic Code 7913. For the peripheral neuropathy claims, the Board noted that the Veteran's symptoms had improved to warrant a 20 percent rating from July 30, 2019.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral knee disability, bilateral ankle disability, left eye cataract, and diabetic retinopathy of left eye due to insufficient development.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's appeal for special monthly compensation (SMC) for loss of use of a creative organ is remanded. Additionally, the Board has also determined that there are issues regarding service connection for ED due to hypertension and diabetes which need further review.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from obtaining and maintaining a substantially gainful occupation since March 14, 2018.