Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2005

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination and additional development of records, including private medical records from Miami Valley Hospital and Chillicothe VAMC. The appellant is seeking service connection for spinocerebellar degeneration with peripheral neuropathy, which he claims is related to herbicide exposure in Vietnam.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain a medical opinion regarding the relationship between the veteran's service-connected disabilities and his cause of death, as well as reconcile conflicting opinions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's neuropathy of the back and legs did not begin during service or as a result of a service-connected disability, and thus denied her claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the existence and etiology of the veteran's claimed low back disability, bunion of the right foot, and left ulnar neuropathy. The claims are being remanded for further examination and consideration.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including examinations and the release of private treatment records.

The veteran's claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy, claimed as due to exposure to herbicides, is being remanded for further action.

The veteran's peripheral polyneuropathy has been diagnosed and found to be caused by herbicide exposure during his military service, specifically Agent Orange. The Board granted the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities and bilateral pes planus are not related to service or a service-connected disability, leading to denial of both claims.

The veteran has withdrawn his appeal, and the case is dismissed.

The veteran is seeking service connection for peripheral neuropathy and hypertension as being proximately due to or the result of his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain medical opinions regarding whether these conditions are related to his service-connected diabetes.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right middle finger disorder, mild neuropathy of the right extensor hood, and right shoulder disorder are already rated at their maximum allowable levels under applicable VA rating criteria.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for further development, including obtaining his Social Security Administration records and readjudicating his claim based on all evidence of record.

The Board found that the veteran's diagnosed peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities is not due to VA carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance of VA fault in treating the veteran, and was not the result of an event not reasonably foreseeable.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation from his original grant of service connection for right inguinal hernioplasty with ilioinguinal and genitofemoral nerve neuropathy is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The veteran's sciatic nerve neuropathy with right foot drop and prostatism/neurogenic bladder (urinary incontinence) are rated at the maximum allowable under current regulations.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for bilateral plantar fasciitis with tarsal tunnel syndrome and polyneuropathy, assigning a 20 percent rating effective August 21, 2001.

The Board is remanding the case to the RO for additional development, including obtaining medical records and seeking a VA physician's opinion regarding whether the veteran's neuropathy and right lower extremity nerve damage resulted from treatment provided during his 1955 VA hospitalization.

The Board found that the veteran's peripheral neuropathy was not incurred in or aggravated by service, nor may it be presumed to have been incurred in service. The claim is denied.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected left hand neuropathy is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and consideration of DeLuca factors, including functional loss after prolonged use.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and diabetic nephropathy and hypertension are being remanded to allow for additional development.