Parkinson's disease decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD, coronary artery disease (now claimed as ischemic heart disease), Parkinson’s disease, constipation, difficulty chewing/swallowing, loss of automatic movement, loss of sense of smell, sexual dysfunction, speech impairment, stooped posture, tremors, muscle rigidity, and stiffness of the extremities have been granted. The effective dates for these grants vary based on when the claims were filed or when entitlement arose.

The Board found that the Veteran's combined disability rating of 90% was correct and denied the claim for a higher combined rating.

The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine, cervical spine, right hip, left hip, right knee, left knee, right ankle, left ankle, and right foot disabilities are remanded for further development. The Veteran's heart disorder, hypertension, and Parkinson's disease claims are also remanded.

The claim for service connection for Parkinson’s disease is reopened, and the appeal is granted. The cervical spine disability issue is remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disability, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service injury or disease and insufficient medical opinion to support a nexus between current heart conditions and active service.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development, including service connection claims and rating determinations. The Veteran's death certificate noted that his cause of death was related to Parkinson’s disease.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, Parkinson’s disease, erectile dysfunction, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and buttocks are presumed to be associated with in-service Agent Orange exposure. The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's Parkinson’s disease is presumed to have been incurred in active service due to herbicide exposure during his Vietnam-era service, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for type 2 diabetes mellitus and Parkinson's disease due to exposure to volatile organic compounds such as trichloroethylene (TCE) in service, including possible exposure to herbicides while serving aboard Navy vessels operating on Subic Bay in the Philippines.

The Veteran's service connection claims for Parkinson’s disease, lung disability (asbestosis and COPD), and coronary artery disease are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's Parkinson’s disease, including tremors, is related to his service and grants the claim.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability evaluations for cerebellar tremors of the right and left upper extremities, as well as service connection for Parkinson's disease, have been denied. The Veteran was previously rated at 30% for his left upper extremity tremors prior to December 22, 2015.

The Board has remanded the case due to an increase in severity of the Veteran's Parkinson's Disease, and a new VA examination is needed to assess his current disability level.

The Veteran's service records do not show any diagnosis of Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD) or Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Right Neck. The Board finds that there is no current disability for IHD and denies this claim.,Regarding Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Right Neck, the Veteran was diagnosed in 2009 but has not had any recurrence since treatment. The Board does not find evidence to support a connection between Agent Orange exposure and the cancer.

The Board has granted service connection for Parkinson's disease, finding that the Veteran's exposure to trichloroethylene during military service is at least as likely as not related to his current condition.

The appeals for service connection for eczema, increased ratings for limitation of right knee and semilunar impairment, and earlier effective dates for assignment of the right knee ratings are dismissed. Service connection is granted for Parkinson's disease, diabetes mellitus, type II, and bipolar disorder.

The Veteran's Parkinson’s disease, erectile dysfunction (claimed as penile condition), depressive disorder secondary to PTSD, and sleep disturbances are all granted. Anxiety is denied due to being a symptom of other conditions. The Veteran also receives an initial evaluation of 70% for his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's death is being remanded for a VA medical opinion regarding the cause of his death and whether inadequate VA treatment contributed to it.

The Veteran was denied service connection for Parkinson's Disease as his condition is not shown to be related to service, and there is no evidence of herbicide exposure during service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tremors and an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD and anxiety). The claim for tremors is denied as there is no evidence of a chronic disease in service or within a presumptive period, nor was there continuity of symptomatology. The claim for PTSD and anxiety is remanded due to insufficient verification of the Veteran's stressors.