The Board denied entitlement to service connection for diabetes, finding that the evidence did not support a direct link between the Veteran's diabetes and his military service or any service-connected disability.
The deciding factor: The evidence weighed against secondary service connection as well as presumptive and direct service connection. Medical opinions concluded that the Veteran's diabetes was not caused or worsened by steroid treatments for kidney stones, right ankle disability, or depressive disorder. There was no evidence of diabetes during service or within one year of separation.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus type II (diabetes)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 3, 2025
- Citation
- 25004580
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, right lower extremity diabetic neuropathy, and left lower extremity diabetic neuropathy as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected conditions.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for right ear hearing loss, tinnitus, diabetes mellitus type II, and Parkinson's disease.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for a respiratory disorder, heart disorder, diabetes mellitus type II, and hypertension, as well as entitlement to a special monthly pension, due to insufficient evidence regarding in-service exposure to herbicide agents.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for hypertension, ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus type II, right lower extremity neuropathy, and left lower extremity neuropathy based on presumed exposure to herbicide agents during the Vietnam War era.
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