Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2005

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back disorder and peripheral neuropathy were not incurred or aggravated during active military service.

The veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and thus the case is dismissed.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bladder carcinoma, cardiovascular disorder, left eye disorder, and neuropathy of both legs. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to service or secondary to cigarette smoking.

The Board dismissed the veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his right and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy as he did not file a substantive appeal. The diabetes mellitus claim was granted with an initial rating of 40 percent.

The veteran's claims for service connection were denied as his conditions are not presumed to be due to herbicide exposure, and he does not have a service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and ischemic optic neuropathy of the right eye were not incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board has granted a 40 percent rating for the veteran's service-connected residuals of right traumatic amputation of little finger distal phalanx, fracture of index finger distal phalanx, and fracture of distal phalanx of base of right thumb with traumatic arthritis and autonomic neuropathy.

The veteran's cervical neuritis of the right arm, sciatic neuropathy of the right leg, and cervical neuropathy of the left arm have been granted increased ratings to 40 percent each.,These increases are based on current medical evidence showing moderate to severe sensory disturbances with some organic changes in all three conditions.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus did not cause or contribute to his death due to a fatal pulmonary embolus. The underlying cause of his death was chronic polyneuropathy with quadriparesis, which is unrelated to his service.

The RO denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy, including as secondary to herbicide exposure. The case is being remanded for further action.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right and left legs as secondary to his service-connected bilateral pes cavus, and denied his claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for his lumbar spine disability. The Board found no evidence of current peripheral neuropathy.

The Board found that the veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities was not shown to have had its onset during service or be causally related to service, and thus denied service connection for this condition.

The veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for diabetes mellitus, diabetic neuropathy, and amputation of the left middle finger were denied. The RO has established service connection for these conditions starting from the date of the veteran's claims.,There is no evidence of any earlier filed formal or informal claim for these disabilities.

The veteran's claim is being remanded due to the need for further evidentiary development, including obtaining VA records and scheduling an eye examination.

The veteran is presumed to be totally disabled (due to permanent disability) for VA pension purposes.

The veteran's claim for payment of compensation at the rate of $2,163 from June 9, 1994 to December 1, 2001 based on award of a TDIU is denied.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining information about an alleged assault during service and providing appropriate VA examinations to determine if any current diagnoses are related to service.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected conditions are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and VCAA compliance.

The veteran's claim for glaucoma was denied as there is no evidence of current disability.,New and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the skin disorder claim, including as due to herbicide exposure. The existing evidence does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Board has determined that the veteran's peripheral neuropathy was not incurred or aggravated during service and is not related to exposure to Agent Orange. Service connection for this condition cannot be granted.