Parkinson's disease decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, Parkinson’s disease, and sleep apnea have been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for neurological disorders and a heart disorder due to herbicide exposure. The case will be returned to the RO for further development, including obtaining medical records, determining whether the Veteran was exposed to herbicides, and providing an examination to determine the etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VHA opinion regarding service connection for a cardiac disability, including Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including service connection for hearing loss, Parkinson's disease, a psychiatric disorder, a sleeping disorder, and PTSD. The issues are being addressed due to insufficient evidence or need for further medical evaluation.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including left leg disability, right leg disability, glaucoma, cataracts, diabetes mellitus, heart disorder (claimed as ischemic heart disease), Parkinson's disease, hairy cell leukemia, and acquired psychiatric disability. The evidence did not support a link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD has been reopened and granted. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, variably diagnosed as PTSD and unspecified depressive disorder, is also granted. The appeal for service connection for Parkinson's disease due to Agent Orange exposure is remanded.

The Board has found that additional development is needed to clarify the Veteran's diagnosed disability and determine its relationship to service. The case is being remanded for further clarification of the Veteran’s diagnosed disability, including treatment records and an examination.

The Veteran's service-connected Parkinson’s disease and sleep apnea are granted, while other conditions are denied.

The Veteran's service connection for Parkinson’s disease and related disabilities, including dementia and depression, incomplete paralysis of the median nerve, incomplete aphonia, masked facies of the seventh cranial nerve, and erectile dysfunction, is granted with effective dates starting from August 3, 2010.

The Board has denied service connection for retinal disease, hypertension, kidney disease, skin cancer, Parkinson's, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD) as these conditions are not related to service or herbicide exposure.

The Board granted service connection for Parkinson's Disease, finding that the Veteran was exposed to herbicides during his active duty at Fort Drum in 1959 and that this exposure is presumed to be related to the development of Parkinson's Disease.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete documentation and further development is required, including obtaining complete study from the NIH and Air Force manual cited by the neurologist.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is currently rated noncompensable, but a compensable rating is not warranted as the condition is controlled by medication.,The Veteran's right thigh abscess is currently rated 10 percent and no higher. The evidence does not support an increased rating due to lack of severe pain or involvement of multiple scars.,DMII has been rated at 20 percent, but no higher. The evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as there is no indication of regulation of activities.,Diabetic nephropathy has been rated at 30 percent and no higher. The evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to lack of definite decrease in kidney function or hypertension with diastolic pressure predominantly 120 or more.,Peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity is currently rated 20 percent, but no higher. The evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as symptoms do not approximate at least moderately severe incomplete paralysis of the sciatic nerve.,Peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity is currently rated 20 percent, but no higher. The evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as symptoms do not approximate at least moderately severe incomplete paralysis of the sciatic nerve.,Peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity with femoral nerve involvement is currently rated 20 percent, but no higher. The evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as symptoms do not approximate at least severe incomplete paralysis.,Peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity with femoral nerve involvement is currently rated 20 percent, but no higher. The evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as symptoms do not approximate at least severe incomplete paralysis.,Parkinson's disease with tremor, muscle rigidity and stiffness of the right upper extremity and diabetic peripheral neuropathy has been rated 40 percent, but no higher. The evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to lack of moderate incomplete paralysis in a major extremity.,Left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy is currently rated 20 percent, but no higher. The evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as symptoms do not approximate at least moderate incomplete paralysis.,Loss of automatic movements has been rated 10 percent, but no higher. The evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to lack of more than incomplete moderate paralysis.,Loss of smell due to Parkinson's disease is currently rated noncompensable as there is no indication of complete loss of smell.,Speech changes have been rated 10 percent, but no higher. The evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as symptoms do not approximate severe paralysis.

The Veteran's Parkinson’s disease, dysarthria, dysphagia, left upper arm weakness, right upper arm weakness, loss of use of the left lower leg, loss of use of the right lower leg, and other specified sleep-wake disorder (insomnia) are all granted as service-connected. The Veteran is also eligible for automobile or adaptive equipment assistance.

The Board found that the original award of service connection for Parkinson's disease was not clearly erroneous and restored the benefit, reversing the severance decision.

The petition to reopen the claim of service connection for multiple sclerosis is granted. The issues of service connection for Parkinson's Disease, speech condition, memory loss, acquired psychiatric disorder (dementia), bilateral leg condition, and breathing condition are remanded.

The Veteran died in September 2007 from end-stage Parkinson's disease. The Appellant filed an informal claim for service connection for the cause of death on November 17, 2014, and was granted service connection with an effective date of November 17, 2013.

The Board has granted service connection for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Parkinson's Disease, finding that the Veteran was exposed to herbicides containing dioxin during his TDY in Guam. The diabetes is presumed due to herbicide exposure, as is the Parkinson's disease.

The Veteran's Parkinson's disease and essential tremors are found to be related to service, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for hepatitis C and initial rating increases for Parkinson's disease, as well as TDIU. The claims are being returned to the RO for further development.