Can I Get Service Connected For Diabetes?

In a VA Diabetes Merits, how many means can the Veteran show that his/her diabetes is related to military service?

There are several, and which one you apply volition be driven largely by how your Diabetes presents itself in your unique medical motion-picture show.

Let's outset from the top.

What is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a metabolic disease.

For diabetics, the body does non produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches, and other nutrient into energy needed for daily living.

Diabetes is not – as usually believed – something that only fat people get.

Common Issues in the VA Diabetes Claim.

Veterans seeking disability compensation benefits in a VA diabetes claim are likely to run into the same "canned" responses from the VA Regional Office.

Typically, RO will conclude that diabetes — or symptoms of diabetes — did not announced to a compensable degree within one year of belch from the military.

Another common error occurs when the VA Rater – or the BVA – relies solely on a medical opinion from a VA Medical Center Md who concludes that information technology would be pure speculation whether the present diagnosis of diabetes was caused past or connected to military service.

Service Connection in the VA Diabetes Claim.

For Veterans who are trying to establish service connection for Diabetes, there are at many ways to skin the proverbial true cat. Here are 4:

#1: Direct Service Connection.

The about common fashion to Straight Service Connectedness. service connect diabetes to military machine service is to use "chronicity" and "continuity of symptomatology":

one) Become a re-create of your C-File: I can't stress this enough. Without a copy of your C-File, you are contesting the VA with blindfolds on.

2) Locate all references to the early symptomatology of diabetes in the military machine service and military medical records

3) Get copies of all of your private and mail service-service medical records.

4) Build a "chain" showing that the symptomatology of diabetes that start appeared in service continued from belch until the actual diagnosis of diabetes.

#2: Secondary Service Connexion.

To show that diabetes is secondary to another condition there must be another injury which is already service connected, or which can be service-connected, and which is the cause of the Veteran's diabetes.

I have seen many try to effort this proof, and very few are successful.

#3: Service Connection by Legal Presumption.

If Diabetes is diagnosed in service, or if the symptoms of Diabetes present to a compensable degree (10%) within one year of discharge, the Veteran's Diabetes will exist presumed to be service-connected.

#4: Agent Orange Exposure.

On November 9, 2000, the VA announced that Vietnam veterans with Type-2 diabetes would now be eligible for disability bounty.

So, for Veterans that set human foot on soil in Vietnam, exposure to Agent Orangish is presumed, and diabetes is then presumed continued to the Amanuensis Orangish exposure.

This presumption applies to whatever Veteran exposed to Agent Orange – those with Boots on the Ground in the RVN, Thai Vets, certain Korean DMZ Veterans, and Dark-brown H2o Navy Veterans.

What Symptomatology should you look for?

When edifice testify to prove your VA Diabetes Merits using some of the methods above, you must show that the symptoms of your condition first appeared in service, and continuously appeared from discharge to diagnosis.

For Blazon I Diabetes, look for any indications in and after the Veteran's military service that bespeak claret carbohydrate levels that are consistent with a diagnosis of diabetes or approach diabetic levels, frequent urination, unusual thirst, extreme hunger, unusual weight loss, extreme fatigue and irritability.

For Type Ii Diabetes, look in the Veterans military service treatment records, C-File, or postal service-service treatment records, for whatsoever of the Type I symptomatology, and also frequent infections, blurred vision, cuts/bruises that are slow to heal, tingling or numbness in the extremities, and/or recurring skin, glue or bladder infections.

With Type 2 Diabetes, information technology is important to notation that in some situations, the Veteran may feel no symptomatology.

Equally always, take note of some of the more mutual complications of Diabetes. Equally the graphic in this post illustrates, there are a number of medical atmospheric condition that outcome from Diabetes – treated or untreated.

Always consider a merits for secondary service-connection of any weather that you believe were caused by your service-continued Diabetes.

I last idea for y'all.

When my wife was meaning with our youngest in 2012, she was diagnosed with gestational diabetes.

With all that was going on in the business firm with the kids and work, we needed assist cooking quick meals for her regulated diet. She institute this cookbook VERY helpful; I thought that ther meals in information technology were pretty darn skilful, too: Diabetic Living Quick & Like shooting fish in a barrel Meals.

(Let me know if you like it, and I'll go along the link here for others).

What else would you like to know about Service-Connexion of Diabetes?

Tell me in the comments department beneath – I would like to add more resource to the Veterans VA Claims University – help me make those resources valuable to you and other Veterans by telling me what kind of help yous demand to better your VA Diabetes Claim.