The Board found that the reduction from a 40 percent evaluation to a 20 percent evaluation for type 2 diabetes mellitus was proper, as the veteran's condition had shown material improvement under ordinary conditions of life and work.
The deciding factor: The evidence showed that the veteran engaged in physical exercise on an almost daily basis, which improved his ability to function under ordinary conditions of life and work. The reduction did not result in a decrease in compensation payments currently being made.
- Claimed conditions
- type 2 diabetes mellitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 24, 2008
- Citation
- 0809709
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the appeals for earlier effective dates related to various left and right hip, knee, shoulder, and other conditions as they were freestanding claims not continuously pursued from the initial rating decisions.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for prostatitis, HIV, CHF, GERD, herpes, a pulmonary disability, headaches, and type 2 diabetes mellitus as the evidence did not support a finding of a current disability or a nexus to service or a service-connected disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for type 2 diabetes mellitus, colon cancer, and an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss to secure additional evidence.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for type 2 diabetes mellitus as the evidence did not support a finding of in-service disease or injury indicative of type 2 diabetes mellitus, and there was no credible evidence to establish exposure to herbicide agents on a direct basis.
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