Information for Vets With Diabetes

Exposure to Agent Orange during military service can have many long-term effects, but one of the most common is Type 2 Diabetes, a condition in which the body does not use insulin properly.

Common symptoms of diabetes include:

• Urinating often
• Feeling very thirsty
• Feeling very hungry—even though you are eating
• Extreme fatigue
• Blurry vision
• Cuts/bruises that are slow to heal
• Tingling, pain, or numbness in the hands/feet

Type 2 diabetes can also increase the risk of other serious health problems, such as cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, diabetes-related eye disease, neuropathy, foot complications, skin complication, oral complications, hearing loss, diabetic ketoacidosis, and stroke.

This article will discuss how to receive service-connected disability benefits for diabetes and any secondary conditions.

Diabetes May Be Related to Military Service

There are two main ways to establish service connection for diabetes. Both require a diagnosis of diabetes during the period when the claim is pending.

First, you can prove that diabetes is directly related to service. To do this, you would have to establish that diabetes began in service, was aggravated by something in service, or was caused by something in service. This will likely require a medical opinion about the onset and progression of the diabetes.

Second, if you were exposed to the Agent Orange herbicide in service, then the VA presumes that your Type II diabetes is related to that service. This is called a presumptive condition. If you can prove that your military service was such that you were exposed to Agent Orange, and you now have diabetes, you do not have to prove a further connection between service and the current condition. Veterans can visit the VA website to learn more about Agent Orange exposure and disability compensation.

Surviving spouses, dependent children, and dependent parents of veterans who had diabetes after being exposed to herbicides during military service may also be entitled to survivors’ benefits.

How to File a Service-Connection Claim for Diabetes

If your diabetes is related to service, you can file a claim for VA disability benefits in several ways: online, by mail, in person, by fax, or with the assistance of a professional.

1. File online: File for disability compensation online
2. File by mail
   • Complete the VA application for disability benefits and mail it to this address:
     • Department of Veterans Affairs
     • Claims Intake Center
     • PO Box 4444
     • Janesville, WI 53547-4444
3. File in person at your local VA Regional Office
4. File by fax:
   • If you’re in the U.S., fax your application to 844-531-7818.
   • If you’re outside the U.S., fax your application to 248-524-4260.
5. File with the help of a trained professional, such as an accredited attorney, claims agent, or Veterans Service Organization (VSO) representative.

Maximizing the Disability Rating for Diabetes

The first step to maximizing benefits for diabetes is to consult the VA’s Rating Schedule for diabetes. The guidance for rating diabetes is listed under Diagnostic Code 7913, which can be found here: Diabetes Rating Schedule.

When a veteran’s diabetes is manageable by a restricted diet only, the veteran is eligible for a 10% rating.

A 20% rating is warranted when a veteran requires a restricted diet and either one or more daily injection(s) of insulin or an oral hypoglycemic agent.

A 40% rating is assigned when a veteran requires one or more daily injection(s) of insulin, a restricted diet, and regulation of activities.

A 60% rating is assigned when a veteran requires one or more daily injection(s) of insulin, a restricted diet, and regulation of 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.

A 100% rating is warranted if the veteran requires more than one daily injection of insulin, restricted 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.

Additionally, diabetes can lead to many secondary conditions. The VA must evaluate these complications of diabetes as separate, secondary conditions, unless they are used to support the 100% rating for diabetes.

For example, if a veteran has diabetes that is manageable by restricted diet only but that has led to peripheral neuropathy, then the VA will rate the veterans’ diabetes at 10% and issue a separate, compensable rating for peripheral neuropathy.

When maximizing benefits for diabetes, veterans should also consider whether to apply for Special Monthly Compensation for such problems as loss of use of an extremity, vision loss, certain sensory impairments, erectile dysfunction, the need for aid and attendance (including for protection from hazards or dangers incident to the daily environment due to cognitive impairment), being housebound, etc.

Contact Vets National Advocates

At Vets National Advocates, we understand how stressful a diabetes diagnosis can be and we want to assist you in obtaining the benefits you deserve for the service-connected diabetes.

If you or someone you love needs help appealing a denied claim for disability benefits, our advocates are here to help. Helping Veterans, It’s What We Do. Contact us at (877) 777-4021 or fill out our contact form to learn more about how we can help you.