Diabetes Board decisions

The Board has remanded the cases for further examination and opinion regarding service connection, compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151, and TDIU due to various issues including DMII, bilateral frozen feet, right foot surgery, and pes planus.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and right knee disability, finding no current diagnoses or evidence of in-service injury. The Veteran's claims were not supported by sufficient medical evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation for aid and attendance needs to be remanded due to inconsistencies in medical evaluations, lack of clarity on current level of care, and need for further examination. The case will be returned for clarification of the current level of special monthly compensation and a new examination.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, diabetes mellitus type II (due to herbicide exposure), tinnitus, heart disability, hypertension, neuropathy of upper and lower extremities, psychiatric disorder, vision loss, and erectile dysfunction. The appeal is granted only in relation to the reopening of the claim for diabetes mellitus type II.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is granted service connection. The issues of diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, multiple myeloma, and hepatitis are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded to obtain outstanding records of VA and VA-authorized treatment, including scanned/VistA imaging records. The right knee increased evaluation claims are also remanded for an adequate medical examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a preexisting left knee injury has been granted. However, the claim for diabetes mellitus, type II remains denied.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including PTSD, ischemic heart disease, mantle cell cancer, diabetes mellitus with retinal involvement, and bilateral lower extremity neuropathy. The remand also includes a request for verification of in-service stressors and Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus and remanded the issue of service connection for a bilateral knee disorder. The denial is based on the lack of evidence linking the current conditions to active service.

The Veteran's heart disease and diabetes have prevented him from engaging in substantially gainful activity since the effective date of service connection, but further development is needed to assess his occupational functioning during the period at issue.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, unspecified joint pain, pre-diabetes, seborrheic keratosis (claimed as skin lesions), and bilateral hearing loss have all been denied. The Board found no evidence of a current disability or a link to the Veteran's active duty service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (prostate cancer residuals, PTSD, diabetes mellitus, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus) have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since July 30, 2012.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of diabetes mellitus and arteriosclerotic heart disease (coronary artery disease) due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's service connection for diabetes mellitus type II (DM) is granted. The skin disability and right hand disability claims are remanded.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of diabetes mellitus type II with cataracts and erectile dysfunction as these issues were previously decided by a final March 2019 decision.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are remanded for further examination to determine their etiology.,The Veteran's sleep apnea is remanded for a VA examination to determine its relationship to his service-connected PTSD.,The Veteran's hypertension and colon polyps are remanded due to the need for additional medical evidence regarding herbicide exposure.,The Veteran's GERD, Barrett’s esophagus, gall bladder removal, left foot disability, right foot disability, eye disability (diabetic retinopathy), and kidney stones are remanded for a VA examination to determine their relationship to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for peripheral vascular disease, diabetes mellitus, bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis, and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The AOJ is instructed to obtain records from the appropriate repositories and the Adjutant General of Florida regarding the Veteran's dates of active duty training (ADT) and inactive duty training (IDT). Additionally, a new medical opinion is needed to address whether metatarsalgia and hallux valgus are at least as likely as not caused or aggravated by service-connected pes planus with plantar fasciitis.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction as there was no evidence of herbicide exposure and the condition did not manifest within a year of separation from service.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, his CAD with unstable angina at 60 percent, and his diabetes mellitus remains at a 20 percent rating. The effective date for the 60 percent rating for CAD with unstable angina has been granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's diabetes. The AOJ is instructed to obtain an adequate opinion from a clinician regarding whether the Veteran's diabetes was caused or aggravated by his service-connected conditions.