The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of diabetic neuropathy or bladder impairment, and the evidence does not support service connection for these conditions.,Service connection is denied as there is no established current disability.
The deciding factor: There is no current medical evidence of diabetic neuropathy or bladder impairment in the Veteran's records. The Veteran's claims are based on presumed exposure to Agent Orange, but he does not have a service-connected condition that could be aggravated by his diabetes mellitus.
- Claimed conditions
- Diabetic Neuropathy of the Left Upper Extremity, Diabetic Neuropathy of the Right Upper Extremity, Diabetic Neuropathy of the Left Lower Extremity, Diabetic Neuropathy of the Right Lower Extremity, Bladder Impairment
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 6, 2015
- Citation
- 1547072
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 1547072.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board denied higher ratings for type II diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction and diabetic neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, but granted initial 20 percent ratings for diabetic neuropathy of the left and right lower extremity, femoral nerve. The case was also remanded for a TDIU claim.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for diabetic neuropathy of the left lower extremity was denied as his condition did not meet the criteria for a higher than 10 percent evaluation.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for a separate compensable rating for bladder impairment associated with lumbosacral degenerative arthritis with lumbar spasm with IVDS is denied. The initial 10 percent rating for costochondritis with rib subluxation and left breast numbness prior to September 22, 2014, is granted, but the claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent thereafter is denied.
- Granted
The Veteran's type I diabetes mellitus is currently rated at 20 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available.,Prior to August 12, 2015, the Veteran's bilateral proliferative diabetic retinopathy with retinal bleed and pseudophakia was rated at 30 percent. From August 12, 2015, it has been rated at 40 percent.,The Veteran's bilateral proliferative diabetic retinopathy with retinal bleed and pseudophakia is currently rated at the maximum schedular rating of 40 percent.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.