The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for diabetes mellitus, type II is denied.,The Veteran's claim for a higher initial disability rating for diabetes mellitus, type II is denied.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for cataracts and diabetic retinopathy/glaucoma are denied.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, left lower extremity, right upper extremity, and left upper extremity as proximately due to diabetes mellitus, type II are granted.
The deciding factor: There is no factual basis to establish entitlement to an earlier effective date prior to April 27, 2010 for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II.,The criteria for a higher initial disability rating of more than 20 percent are not met as the Veteran's diabetes does not require regulation of activities or episodes of ketoacidosis/hypoglycemic reactions requiring hospitalization or visits to a diabetic care provider twice a month or more frequently.,There is no medical evidence to support a diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy or glaucoma, and the Veteran's cataracts are age-related. The Board finds that his cataracts are not proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.,The weight of the evidence is in at least approximate balance as to whether the Veteran has current diagnoses of right and left upper and lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy that is proximately due to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus, type II, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity, diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- March 16, 2026
- Citation
- A26023407
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 A26023407.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
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