The Va’s Ratings For Diabetes – Explained
Diabetes Mellitus is a condition that runs rampant among the veteran population. Of those particularly affected is the Vietnam Era community. As these veterans approach the years of wisdom, so too does diabetes creep alongside them. There is no shortage of medical literature on the connection between type 2 diabetes and veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam, Korea and Thailand. Indeed, the VA’s 2015 Annual Benefits Report noted diabetes mellitus as the 9th most prevalent service-connected disability of all compensation recipients, with an estimated 431,166 claims awarded. In 2015, there were 1,347,883 compensation recipients of the Vietnam Era, constituting 32% of the veteran population receiving benefits. Do the math and you find that almost 32% of the Vietnam veterans receiving compensation have diabetes mellitus. Interestingly, 411,698 of those individuals are males. Of course, these statistics are only reflective the veterans receiving compensation. Imagine what the statistics would be if they included non-service connected veterans as well! If you are a veteran who is pursuing a compensation claim for type 2 diabetes, or are already receiving compensation for diabetes, you may find it difficult to understand how the VA’s rating system works for diabetes mellitus. The purpose of this post is walk you through the VA’s rating schedule so you know what to look for and what to expect in terms of compensation. Once the VA has ascertained that a veteran’s diabetes mellitus condition is service connected, the raters refer to the rating schedule to determine the level at which the veteran will be paid for that condition. The rating schedule for diabetes is Diagnostic Code (DC) 7913, which breaks down the ratings for diabetes into five levels. Level 1 Continue reading >>
4 Ways That Military Veterans Can Service Connect Diabetes.
Direct Service Connection A Veteran can directly service connect Diabetes by combing their C-File and medical records (both in-service and post-service medical records) for any evidence of symptomatology of diabetes. For Type I Diabetes, the Veteran should look for common symptomatology that includes (but is certainly not limited to): indications of blood sugar levels which are consistent with a diagnosis of diabetes or that approach diabetic levels; frequent urination; unusual thirst; extreme hunger; unusual weight loss; and/or extreme fatigue and irritability. For Type I Diabetes, the Veteran should look for common symptomatology that includes (but is certainly not limited to): for any of the Type I symptomatology, and also frequent infections, blurred vision, cuts/bruises that a cuts/bruises that are slow to heal, tingling or numbness in the extremities, and/or recurring skin, gum or bladder infections. With Type II Diabetes, it is important to note that a Veteran may experience no symptomatology. Secondary Service Connection This is a very rare and unusual way to service connect diabetes - if your diabetes is the result of another service-connected condition, then this is the method of service connection that you will want to pursue. Secondary Service Connection often requires an independent medical opinion. In such circumstances the Independent Medical Examiner should follow these steps: 1) Review the Veteran's entire Claims File (or C-File) - and state in the opinion that the Medical Expert reviewed this document. 2) Fully explain all factors that play into the etiology of the Veteran's diabetes 3) Explain the reasons and bases for the Medical Expert's belief that the Diabetes was caused by, or secondary to, the primary service-connected condition 4) A statement t Continue reading >>
Va Diabetes Ratings | Veterans Resources
Discussion in ' Diabetes ' started by stumpy , Jun 26, 2004 . Requiring more than one daily injection of insulin, restricted 100 diet, and regulation of activities (avoidance of strenuous occupational and recreational activities) with episodes of ketoacidosis or hypoglycemic reactions requiring at least three hospitalizations per year or weekly visits to a diabetic care provider, plus either progressive loss of weight and strength or complications that would be compensable if separately evaluated.......................... Requiring insulin, restricted diet, and regulation of 60 activities with episodes of ketoacidosis or hypoglycemic reactions requiring one or two hospitalizations per year or twice a month visits to a diabetic care provider, plus complications that would not be compensable if separately evaluated.................................................... Requiring insulin, restricted diet, and regulation of 40 activities................................................... Requiring insulin and restricted diet, or; oral hypoglycemic 20 agent and restricted diet.................................... Manageable by restricted diet only............................ 10 Note (1): Evaluate compensable complications of diabetes separately unless they are part of the criteria used to support a 100 percent evaluation. Noncompensable complications are considered part of the diabetic process Note (2): When diabetes mellitus has been conclusively diagnosed, do not request a glucose tolerance test solely for I have no idea what you mean by a D&C unless you are having female problems . You must mean Compensation & Pension (C&P) exam. Is that right? The normal procedure is to file a claim for compensation due to service connected (SC) disabilities with the nearest Veterans Admini Continue reading >>
Diabetes From Agent Orange Exposure In Vietnam
Diabetes from Agent Orange Exposure in Vietnam Almost everyone is familiar with the herbicide Agent Orange that was used in Vietnam. Agent Orange was sprayed across Vietnam. The chemicals used in Agent Orange are toxic. VA has acknowledged that exposure to those chemicals increases the risk of developing many different diseases even decades after the exposure. One of the diseases caused by Agent Orange exposure is Type 2diabetes (also known as Type 2 diabetes mellitus). People suffering from Type 2 diabetes cannot adequately process the sugar in their blood. Without proper treatment, people suffering from Type 2 diabetes will likely suffer damage to their eyes, kidneys, and hearts. Presumption that diabetes was caused by Agent Orange exposure Because of special rules put in place by VA, veterans who served in Vietnam are almost always presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange during their service . If a Vietnam veteran develops Type 2 diabetes, VA should also presume that the diabetes was caused by this exposure to Agent Orange. If you are a Vietnam veteran who develops Type 2 diabetes, you should file a claim for disability benefits with VA for your diabetes. Service-connection for Type 2 diabetes from Agent Orange exposure Since Type 2 diabetes is on the list of conditions that are presumed to have been caused by Agent Orange, VA should determine that your Type 2 diabetes is a service-connected disability. If they do not, then you are probably going to need to file a notice of disagreement to appeal your denial of service connection. If VA grants service connection, they should issue a rating decision giving VAs opinion on the amount of your disability. How is the disability rating for diabetes calculated? The disability rating given by VA in the rating decision Continue reading >>
- Oatmeal Orange Cookies (Diabetes Friendly)
- American Diabetes Association® Releases 2018 Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes, with Notable New Recommendations for People with Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes
- Leeds diabetes clinical champion raises awareness of gestational diabetes for World Diabetes Day
Agent Orange Worries: Diabetes Now Tops Vietnam Veterans' Disability Claims
MIKE BAKER, Associated Press Writer RALEIGH, North Carolina -- By his own reckoning, a Navy electrician spent just eight hours in Vietnam, during a layover on his flight back to the U.S. in 1966. He bought some cigarettes and snapped a few photos. The jaunt didn't make for much of a war story, and there is no record it ever happened. But the man successfully argued that he may have been exposed to Agent Orange during his stopover and that it might have caused his diabetes -- even though decades of research into the defoliant have failed to find more than a possibility that it causes the disease. Because of worries about Agent Orange, about 270,000 Vietnam veterans -- more than one-quarter of the 1 million receiving disability checks -- are getting compensation for diabetes, according to Department of Veterans Affairs records obtained by The Associated Press through the Freedom of Information Act. More Vietnam veterans are being compensated for diabetes than for any other malady, including post-traumatic stress disorder, hearing loss or general wounds. Tens of thousands of other claims for common ailments of age -- erectile dysfunction among them -- are getting paid as well because of a possible link, direct or indirect, to Agent Orange. And the taxpayers may soon be responsible for even more: The VA said Monday that it will add heart disease, Parkinson's disease and certain types of leukemia to the list of conditions that might be connected to Agent Orange. The agency estimates that the new rules, which will go into effect in two months unless Congress intervenes, will cost $42 billion over the next 10 years. Lawmakers and federal officials who have reservations about the spending are loath to criticize a program that helps servicemen. They have largely ignored a 2008 r Continue reading >>
Disability Compensation For Secondary Conditions Caused By Diabetes
DISABILITY COMPENSATION FOR SECONDARY CONDITIONS CAUSED BY DIABETES by edfarmer | Oct 2, 2017 | Uncategorized | 0 comments If you are a Vietnam Era Veteran, you probably already know about the special VA rules that presume certain conditions are caused by Agent Orange exposure. One of these conditions is Type 2 Diabetes. What you may not be aware of is that you may be entitled to additional compensation for secondary conditions caused by your service-connected diabetes. Service-connected disability compensation is available for almost any disability that is the result of another service-connected condition. This legal theory is called secondary service connection. Secondary service connection can be established both where a service-connected condition contributes to the creation of a new disability and where a service-connected disability aggravates (worsens) a non-service-connected condition. It does not matter how long after service a secondary disability manifests itself, as long as there is sufficient medical evidence to establish that it is a result of a service connected condition. What Do I Need to Show to Establish Secondary Service Connection? Medical opinions are crucial in claims for secondary service connection and veterans should seriously consider obtaining a medical opinion from a private doctor. The medical opinion should state whether it is as likely as not (50% probability), or more likely than not (probable) that the claimed disability was caused or aggravated by the service-connected condition. The doctors statement should refer to a recognized medical text and supported with a medical rationale. Veterans should not give up on a claim for secondary service connection that is denied based solely on an opinion from a VA physician. Because the VA must Continue reading >>
Disability Compensation For Agent Orange For Vietnam Veterans
Disability Compensation for Agent Orange for Vietnam Veterans Vietnam vets can get disability compensation for some diseases many years after exposure to Agent Orange. Veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam while on active duty are eligible for disability compensation through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) as long as they were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable. It is often very difficult to produce evidence that an illness is linked to Agent Orange exposure. As a result, for many years veterans with Agent Orange-related diseases were denied disability compensation by the VA. This changed in 1991. Presumptive service connection is a much easier way to qualify for compensation than having to prove a direct service connection. This is because, for presumptive service connection, you don't have to prove an incident of exposure of Agent Orange or that your disease was caused by Agent Orange. If you have certain diseases, the VA presumes both Agent Orange exposure and that this exposure caused the disease, as long as there isnt medical evidence that something else caused your illness. Due to the Agent Orange Act of 1991, the VA now acknowledges certain cancers and other diseases as caused by Agent Orange. This means that veterans with these recognized diseases can qualify for disability compensation under presumptive service connection. However, many special rules apply. How to Qualify for Agent Orange Presumptive Service Connection military service in Vietnam during the period of January 9, 1962 to May 7, 1975 one of the diseases, or residuals of one of the diseases, that the VA recognizes as linked to Agent Orange exposure (see below) the recognized disease is rated at least 10% or higher, and for certain diseases, the illness devel Continue reading >>
Will I Qualify For Veteran’s Disability Benefits If I Have Type 2 Diabetes?
If you have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and believe that your condition was caused by or made worse by your service in the military, you could be eligible for veterans’ disability benefits. In fiscal year 2015 (the most recent year for which statistics are available), diabetes was the 9th most common disability among all veterans’ disability recipients. In that year, 431,166 veterans received benefits because of their type 2 diabetes. How They Qualified There is more than one way to qualify for veterans’ disability benefits if you have type 2 diabetes. Specifically, you may qualify for benefits if: You can prove that your diabetes was caused by your active duty in the military or by a condition that you suffered because of your active duty in the military. You served in Vietnam between January 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975. If you set foot on soil in Vietnam, the Department of Veterans Affairs presumes that you were exposed to Agent Orange, a toxic herbicide used during the Vietnam War that medical professionals have connected to a variety of illnesses, including type 2 diabetes. Vietnam veterans who can prove that they were not dishonorably discharged and that they have type 2 diabetes may qualify for disability compensation. When you apply for benefits, it is important to describe all of the conditions associated with your type 2 diabetes. For example, you should make sure that information about all related conditions is included with your applications, including: Vision problems Heart problems Stomach, gallbladder, or kidney problems Any other health impairments Don’t assume that you will get benefits simply because you are a veteran with type 2 diabetes. Instead, make sure that the Department of Veterans Affairs has all of the information it needs to make Continue reading >>
Understanding Va Disability Ratings For Diabetes
Understanding VA Disability Ratings for Diabetes Posted in Uncategorized on November 14, 2017 Diabetes mellitus also known as Type II or adult onset diabetes is a growing health issue among U.S. veterans. In fact, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recently listed type II diabetes as the number 9 most-prevalent disability claim among compensation recipients, with more than 431,000 veterans receiving some level of disability support while suffering from the condition. Like other VA disabilities, to receive disability compensation, a veterans diabetes type II diagnosis must be proven to be connected to his or her service in the Armed Forces, via a letter or nexus from an expert or physician citing that the condition is more likely than not connected to military service. If the diabetes is diagnosed while on active duty, or within a year of his or her Expiration of Term of Service (ETS), it may be easier to make the connection. Personal records may be sufficient to determine the diagnosis of diabetes; otherwise, It may require a VA examination. It is important, when making a claim, that a veteran provide detailed records or evidence of the ongoing condition, symptoms, required treatments, hospitalizations and physical complications related to the diabetes. You will also be required to include dates and details on your service periods, as they relate to your diagnosis. The one major exception to having to prove that diabetes mellitus is service-connected is if the veteran served in Vietnam and was exposed to Agent Orange. In this case, the VA automatically presumes an existing connection between this service and the diagnosis. To be eligible for diabetes mellitus disability benefits in this situation, the veteran must have physically served or visited the Republi Continue reading >>
New Strict Standard For Va Diabetes Ratings | Veterans Disability Attorney Blog
VA Diabetes Ratings: Under VA's rating code , a veteran is entitled to a 40% rating for diabetes "[r]equiring insulin, restricted diet, and regulation of activities." A 20% rating shall be assigned for diabetes "[r]equiring insulin and restricted diet, or; oral hypoglycemic agent and restricted diet." A new decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit clarifies that "insulin," as it is used in VA's rating code, means insulin administered exogenously, or from the outside of the body. In Middleton v. Shinseki, No. 2013-7014, slip op. 10-11 (Fed. Cir. Aug. 15, 2013), the Federal Circuit determined that a veteran could not receive a 40% disability rating for his diabetes where his diabetes required restricted diet, regulation of activities, and the use of a drug that produced insulin endogenously (meaning that the drug caused the body to produce insulin). The Federal Circuit also reiterated the longstanding rule that, to meet the requirement for a 40% disability rating, a veteran had to meet all three of the requirements listed in the rating code. One judge dissented. Circuit Judge Plager said that the rating code should be treated more of a guide and not as a hard and fast code. Circuit Judge Plager also highlighted that, where the veteran's disability more nearly approximates the higher disability rating than the lower rating, the higher disability rating should be awarded. If you or someone you care about is currently looking to file or appeal a claim for VA disability benefits including a claim filed on the basis of diabetes contact a veterans disability attorney from Bosley & Bratch to learn more about your case and how our firm can help. Continue reading >>
Agent Orange: American Diabetes Association
Vietnam veterans with type 2 diabetes are eligible for disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) based on their presumed exposure to Agent Orange or other herbicides. In 2000, the VA added type 2 diabetes to the list of "presumptive diseases associated with herbicide exposure." That action followed a report from the National Academy of Sciences that found "limited/suggestive" evidence of an association between the chemicals used in herbicides during the Vietnam War, such as Agent Orange, and type 2 diabetes. The evidence of a link between exposure to Agent Orange (or dioxin, the problematic contaminant in Agent Orange) and diabetes is modest. Most of the association between Agent Orange and diabetes comes from studies of people who lived near or worked at manufacturing plants that produced large quantities of Agent Orange dioxin. In those cases, there appears to be some relationship between Agent Orange exposure and increased insulin resistance, the precursor to type 2 diabetes. In general the exposure that Vietnam veterans had to Agent Orange was much less than in the populations studied by scientists. Still, the VA has added diabetes to the list of conditions for which Vietnam veterans are eligible for disability compensation. Agent Orange was a herbicide used in Vietnam to kill unwanted plants and to remove leaves from trees which otherwise provided cover for the enemy. In the 1970s some veterans became concerned that exposure to Agent Orange might cause delayed health effects. The concern about Agent Orange focuses not on the active ingredient, an herbicide with little or no effect on animals, but on a trace contaminant in the herbicide, dioxin. Studies have shown that dioxin and dioxin-like compounds (DLCs) can cause a variety of illness Continue reading >>
- American Diabetes Association® Releases 2018 Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes, with Notable New Recommendations for People with Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes
- Diabetes and Hypertension: A Position Statement by the American Diabetes Association
- Solera Health and the American Diabetes Association® Collaborate to Help Prevent and Delay Type 2 Diabetes for Millions of Americans
Rating Schedule For Diabetes Type 2
Where can I find the VA compensation rating schedule for presumptive diabetes type 2 and secondary conditions evolving from the diabetes. I know that DM2 controlled by diet and exercise is 10% and that oral medication and/or insulin ups it to 20%, but what about other conditons, like peripheral neuropathy, diabetic retinopathy, erectile dysfunction, etc. Where can I find the schedule for these? I used to think that I was indecisive, but now I'm not sure. Where can I find the VA compensation rating schedule for presumptive diabetes type 2 and secondary conditions evolving from the diabetes. I know that DM2 controlled by diet and exercise is 10% and that oral medication and/or insulin ups it to 20%, but what about other conditons, like peripheral neuropathy, diabetic retinopathy, erectile dysfunction, etc. Where can I find the schedule for these? Schedule of Rating Disability (SRD) Links requested: 1) Diabetes Mellitis Type II - VA diagnostic code 7913: 38 CFR 4.119 2) Peripheral Neuropathy - VA diagnostic code based on nerve group affected (typically 8510-8540): 38 CFR 4.124a 3) Diabetic Retinopathy - VA diagnostic code typically 6006 or 6026 or 6030 but could be others in 6000 series: 38 CFR 4.79 4) Diabetic Nephropathy - Typically rated as renal dysfunction under VA diagnostic code 7500 series: 38 CFR 4.115a AND 38 CFR 4.115b 5) Erectile Dysfunction - SMC K award: 38 CFR 3.350 and "rater rules" and 38 U.S.C. 1114 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- I believe in the latter half of the "Give the person a fish...teach a person to fish..." philosophy ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ...every day on this side of the "dirtnap" is a good day! ------------------------------------------------------------- Continue reading >>
Three Ways To Win An Increased Rating For Service Connected Diabetes
Three Ways to Win an Increased Rating for Service Connected Diabetes The complex variety of diabetes complications and treatments present opportunities for veterans already service connected for diabetes to seek increased ratings. Because each higher rating criteria includes the same criteria as the lower rating plus a distinct new criterion, a higher disability rating will not be assigned unless you demonstrate all of the required criteria of the higher rating. This differs from other ratings schedules where you might be able to prevail by showing you exhibit the majority of symptoms in the rating tier. VA ratings for diabetes mellitus are as follows: Restricted diet or hypoglycemic agent and restricted diet Episodes of ketoacidosis or hypoglycemic reactions requiring one or two hospitalizations per year or twice a month visits to a diabetes care provider Complications that would not be compensable if separately evaluated Regulation of activities (avoidance of strenuous occupational and recreational activities) Episodes of ketoacidosis or hypoglycemic reactions requiring at least three hospitalizations per year or weekly visits to a diabetic care provider Either progressive loss of weight and strength or complications that would be compensable if separately evaluated Consider the following ways to win an increased rating for service-connected diabetes: A secondary condition is a condition that is due to, or caused by, the presence of a preceding primary condition. Diabetes is a condition with many secondary conditions. Diabetes can lead to a higher frequency and earlier onset of, among other things, peripheral vascular disease, coronary arteriosclerosis, peripheral neuropathy, and premature cataracts of the eyes. These are secondary manifestations because they are due Continue reading >>
Veterans Exposed To Agent Orange
VA Veterans Benefits Administration Compensation Post-Service Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange Veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange or other herbicides during military service may be eligible for a variety of VA benefits, including disability compensation for diseases associated with exposure. Your dependents and survivors also may be eligible for benefits. "Agent Orange" refers to a blend of tactical herbicides the U.S. military sprayed in the jungles of Vietnam and around the Korean demilitarized zone to remove trees and dense tropical foliage that provided enemy cover. Herbicides were also used by the U.S. military to defoliate military facilities in the U.S. and in other countries as far back as the 1950s. In addition, VA has determined there is evidence of exposure to Agent Orange for Air Force and Air Force Reserve members who served during the period 1969 through 1986 and regularly and repeatedly operated, maintained, or served onboard C-123 aircraft (known to have been used to spray an herbicide agent during the Vietnam era). For more information about service qualifications and other eligibility criteria, visit our Agent Orange C-123 web page . VA and federal law presumes that certain diseases are a result of exposure to these herbicides. This "presumptive policy" simplifies the process for receiving compensation for these diseases since VA foregoes the normal requirements of proving that an illness began during or was worsened by your military service. A Veteran who believes he or she has a disease caused by Agent Orange exposure that is not one of the conditions listed below must show an actual connection between the disease and herbicide exposure during military service. Eligibility - Service in Vietnam or Korea VA presumes that Veterans were exposed t Continue reading >>
The Va Diabetes Claim: How Many Ways To Service Connect?
In a VA Diabetes Claim, how many ways can the Veteran show that his/her diabetes is related to military service? There are several, and which one you use will be driven largely by how your Diabetes presents itself in your unique medical picture. Let’s start from the top. What is Diabetes? Diabetes is a metabolic disease. For diabetics, the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches, and other food into energy needed for daily living. Diabetes is not – as commonly believed – something that only fat people get. Common Problems in the VA Diabetes Claim. Veterans seeking disability compensation benefits in a VA diabetes claim are likely to see the same “canned” responses from the VA Regional Office. Typically, RO will conclude that diabetes — or symptoms of diabetes — did not appear to a compensable degree within one year of discharge 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 Doctor who concludes that it would be pure speculation whether the present diagnosis of diabetes was caused by 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 cat. Here are 4: #1: Direct Service Connection. The most common way to Direct Service Connection. service connect diabetes to military service is to use “chronicity” and “continuity of symptomatology”: 1) Get a copy of your C-File: I can’t stress this enough. Without a copy of your C-File, you are battling the VA with blindfolds on. 2) Locate all references to the early symptomatology of diabetes in the milit Continue reading >>
