Diabetes Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Appellant's service was dishonorable, which means he does not have status as a veteran. Therefore, his claims for service connection for nonalcoholic steatosis hepatitis, thyroid disability, diabetes mellitus, and multiple hemangiomas are denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and TDIU due to incomplete records, including VA treatment records from before 2010 and private medical records from various providers. The Veteran is asked to provide authorization for VA to obtain these records.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary before the claims on appeal can be decided. The Veteran's representative indicated that he received private treatment from Joslin Diabetes Center and St. Luke's Hospital, which have not been associated with the claims file. Treatment records from the Bedford VA Medical Center (VAMC) were also requested but could not be obtained due to a lack of information in the claims file. Clarification is needed regarding any claimed herbicide exposure for hypertension, and an examination is required to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed cataracts.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and brain cancer as secondary to diabetes mellitus due to insufficient medical evidence on record.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted with an effective date of May 7, 2014. The Board found that the Veteran was unable to work due to his service-connected disabilities since at least 1999 or 2011, which is more than one year before he filed his claim for a TDIU.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for diabetes mellitus, and associated peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities have been dismissed as they were withdrawn during a hearing before the Board.

Your claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus has been granted, but the appeal is dismissed as there are no longer any issues to be decided.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been submitted for the claims of service connection for Type II Diabetes Mellitus, Residuals of Prostate Cancer, Skin Condition, and Peripheral Neuropathy. The Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents in Thailand is now conceded, but further examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of his skin condition and peripheral neuropathy.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been submitted for the claims of service connection for Type II Diabetes Mellitus, Residuals of Prostate Cancer, Skin Condition, and Peripheral Neuropathy. The Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents in Thailand is now conceded. The claims are remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and separate ratings were denied. His prostate cancer reduction from 100% to 60% was upheld, but his claim for restoration of the higher rating is denied. The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II with visual impairments and erectile dysfunction remains at a 20% disability rating. Separate ratings for diabetic retinopathy with macular edema and bilateral cataracts are not granted.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been submitted for the claims of service connection for Type II Diabetes Mellitus, Residuals of Prostate Cancer, Skin Condition, and Peripheral Neuropathy. The Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents in Thailand is now conceded. The claims are remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are rated as 10 percent each, with no higher ratings available.,The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is not service connected due to lack of exposure to herbicides and absence of a showing of in-service onset or continuity of symptomatology.,The Veteran's diabetic peripheral neuropathy was not initially manifested during service, may not be presumed to have been incurred during service, and is not otherwise related to service.

The Board has decided to remand the service connection claims for diabetes mellitus, type II; peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities; and a heart disorder due to in-service exposure to hazardous chemicals. A new VA opinion is needed to address these claims.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent prior to March 19, 2021 and at 70 percent thereafter. The reduction in the rating for diabetes mellitus, type II from 20 percent to 10 percent was not proper.,Service connection has been granted for peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding service connection for residuals of left leg fracture. The claims for hypertension and diabetes mellitus remain denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and diabetes mellitus due to inconsistencies in his previous audiometric testing. The Veteran is not entitled to service connection for these conditions as there is no evidence of a nexus between them and his military service.

The Board has withdrawn the Veteran's claim for diabetes mellitus type II and has remanded his claims for hypertension, cataracts, urinary tract disability (claimed as kidney condition), bilateral lower extremity neuropathy, and bilateral upper extremity neuropathy due to potential service connection based on herbicide exposure.

For the rating period prior to March 26, 2014, the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not meet the threshold requirements for TDIU and they do not render him unemployable.,From March 26, 2014, the Veteran is in receipt of a 100% disability rating for aortic stenosis with stable angina, status-post heart valve replacement. The issue of entitlement to a TDIU from this date is dismissed as moot due to his already receiving SMC benefits.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient opinions from a VA examiner regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current conditions and his in-service heat stroke.

The Board has denied service connection for an age-related cataract and diabetes mellitus, but granted effective dates prior to the Veteran's discharge. The claim for residuals of inner ear infection is remanded due to lack of a VA examination. The claim for PTSD is also remanded as the VA examiner did not address all relevant in-service symptoms.