Parkinson's disease decisions — 2017

The Board found no evidence of herbicide exposure and concluded that the Veteran's Parkinson's disease is not related to service, including as secondary to a motor vehicle accident.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and essential tremor (including Parkinson's disease) are related to his military service. The claim for PTSD is denied as there is no evidence of a diagnosed mental disorder.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for Parkinson's disease, finding that there was no evidence of herbicide exposure and that the condition did not manifest within one year after service discharge. The Board also found that the Veteran could not establish a direct service connection due to lack of in-service diagnosis or symptomatology.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to insufficient medical evidence and the need for additional development regarding his exposure to chemicals in service.

The Board has granted service connection for Parkinson's disease based on exposure to herbicide agents during active service in Thailand.

The Veteran's Parkinson's disease is presumed to be related to herbicide exposure during service. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, and mood disorder, is granted on a presumptive basis due to herbicide exposure. The Veteran's sleep apnea is found to be secondary to his service-connected PTSD. Service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities is also granted on a presumptive basis due to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and VA treatment records, scheduling a VA examination to assess the manifestations of service-connected mechanical low back pain syndrome and Parkinson's disease, and readjudicating his claims.

The Board found that the Veteran did not have exposure to herbicide agents in service, and thus could not establish presumptive service connection for his diabetes mellitus or Parkinson's disease. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the AOJ for consideration of higher ratings on the basis of service-connected residuals of Parkinson's disease with right upper extremity muscle rigidity and stiffness, left upper extremity muscle rigidity and stiffness, right lower extremity, left lower extremity, urinary incontinence, loss of sense of smell, and erectile dysfunction throughout the entire period of the appeal.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral leg disorders, an acquired psychiatric disorder (bipolar disorder and personality disorder), residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI), Parkinson's disease, and microadenoma. The reasons are provided in the decision.

The Veteran's appeal for Parkinson's disease was withdrawn. The claim for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus has been reopened due to new evidence received since the March 1971 rating decision, which relates to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claims of service connection.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection were not timely filed, resulting in the denial of his claims.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an adequate VA examination regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's diagnosed Parkinson's disease, including whether it is related to his service in the Southwest Asia Theater of Operations during the Persian Gulf War.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, and Parkinson's disease cannot be granted as there is no evidence of record supporting these claims. The Veteran served in Korea during the Korean War, not Vietnam, and thus does not meet the criteria for presumptive exposure to herbicides.

The Veteran is granted higher initial disability ratings for manifestations of Parkinson's disease, including right upper and lower extremity tremors as well as psychiatric symptoms. The current ratings are in line with the severity of his condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation since August 12, 2011. The Board has granted TDIU effective that date.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current cardiac disability, to include Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome during the period of appeal. The condition is a congenital defect and did not undergo a superimposed disease or injury during military service.

The Veteran's asthma has been rated at 60 percent disabling. The Board found that a higher rating is not warranted as her condition does not meet the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 60 percent.

The Veteran's PTSD and Parkinson's disease have been granted increased ratings, earlier effective dates for various service connection determinations, TDIU, and SMC based on housebound criteria. The Veteran is also entitled to a 70 percent disability rating for impairment of the left upper extremity secondary to Parkinson's disease.

The Veteran's Parkinson's disease is service-connected as it is caused by his service-connected disability, Parkinson's disease. The Veteran's depressive disorder is also service-connected as it is secondary to his service-connected Parkinson's disease.