The Board denied a higher rating for the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus, finding that it did not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on episodes of ketoacidosis or hypoglycemic reactions requiring one or two hospitalizations per year or twice a month visits to a diabetic care provider.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's diabetes required insulin and restricted diet but did not require regulation of activities with episodes of ketoacidosis or hypoglycemic reactions as required for a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic code.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus, erectile dysfunction, diabetic retinopathy, diabetic peripheral neuropathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- November 19, 2019
- Citation
- 19186909
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction due to an inadequate VA opinion regarding its etiology.
- Denied
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- Partly granted
The Board granted a 50 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and denied increased ratings for right shoulder impingement syndrome, hearing loss, painful scar, patellofemoral pain syndromes of the knees, and other conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for hypertension and diabetes mellitus to obtain further medical opinions regarding their potential relationship to toxic exposures during active service.
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