The Veteran's vision problems are not related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II. The Board denied the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities as well as his diabetes mellitus, type II.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran’s vision problems were related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II. The VA examinations showed no more than moderate incomplete paralysis for both lower extremities, which corresponds to a 20 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 8520.
- Claimed conditions
- {"condition_name":"vision problems","relationship_to_service_connection":"secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II"}, {"condition_name":"diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity with ischemic vascular disease of the brain","relationship_to_service_connection":"service-connected"}, {"condition_name":"diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity","relationship_to_service_connection":"service-connected"}, {"condition_name":"diabetes mellitus, type II","relationship_to_service_connection":"service-connected"}
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 7, 2020
- Citation
- 20001088
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
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