Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2001

The veteran seeks service connection for peripheral neuropathy with circulatory problems of the arms, hands, legs, and feet, to include as a residual of exposure to Agent Orange. The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to adjudicate this claim.

The Board has ordered the RO to obtain VA medical records and ensure that all notification and development action required by the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000 is completed. The veteran's claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy will be remanded for further review.

The veteran's service-connected traumatic arthritis of the lumbar spine, cervical spine, and right knee have been granted with respective evaluations of 20%, 10%, and 10% since January 1996. The claim for bilateral ulnar neuropathy was denied.

The Board is remanding the case to determine if new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen a claim for service connection for chronic peripheral neuropathy due to Agent Orange exposure. If reopened, the claim will be adjudicated.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's right arm fracture and assigned a 10 percent evaluation effective from September 30, 1996. The issue of increased rating for ulnar neuropathy/carpal tunnel syndrome is pending.

The veteran's claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy due to herbicide exposure is being remanded as there has been a significant change in the law regarding the duty to assist and the presumption of exposure to herbicides. The RO must obtain the veteran's service personnel records, including any records regarding his service in Vietnam during the Vietnam Era. They should also contact the United States Armed Services Center for Research of Unit Records and request that a determination be made as to the likelihood of the veteran being exposed to a herbicide agent during his service in Vietnam. The RO must then provide the veteran with a VA neurology examination, ensuring all provisions of the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000 are complied with.

The Board found no evidence that the veteran's left leg pain and sciatica resulted from VA treatment, thus denying his claim for benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151. The veteran's neuropathy of the left radial nerve is currently evaluated at 20 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's cervical spondylosis with neuropathy of the left upper extremity and weakness of the left biceps muscle and left forearm and left wrist muscles warrants a 30 percent evaluation, but his degenerative changes of the cervical spine do not warrant an increased rating.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for various conditions, including arthritis of the lumbosacral spine and other musculoskeletal issues. The decision also noted that new evidence submitted did not meet the criteria to reopen the claim.

The veteran is seeking service connection for peripheral neuropathy on the basis of exposure to Agent Orange. The case has been remanded due to incomplete records and need for further examination.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for diabetes mellitus was granted, and the effective date is set to May 3, 2001.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for neuropathy, finding that there was no evidence of a link between his current conditions and his military service or exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy, which he claims is related to herbicide exposure during his Vietnam service. The case was remanded due to a need for additional development and notification under the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000.

The veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the hands is denied as it was not caused by VA carelessness, negligence, or error.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his hysteria type psychoneurosis with post-traumatic neuropathy of the symphysis pubis, penis, groins, and anterior aspects of the thighs to knees, do not warrant a higher rating. The residual cicatrix (scars) of the groin also does not meet criteria for a higher rating.

The RO denied increased evaluations for left elbow, right knee, and left knee disabilities. The veteran's service-connected left ulnar neuropathy was granted a separate rating of 10 percent.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and peripheral neuropathy, render him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied both claims for increased ratings, finding that the evidence did not warrant a rating greater than 20 percent for left mandible disability or 10 percent for neuropathy of the left fifth cranial nerve.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was not submitted to reopen the veteran's claims for peripheral neuropathy and dermatitis with herpes simplex, as secondary to herbicide exposure. The veteran's contentions were found insufficient to establish a link between his current conditions and service or herbicide exposure.

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's claimed undiagnosed illnesses, finding that there was no objective evidence of chronic disability manifested by one or more signs or symptoms listed in the regulation prior to December 31, 2001.