Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2005

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and granted an increased rating for the right elbow. The veteran's ulnar neuropathy in his right hand was found to be related to his service-connected arthritis/bursitis/tendonitis of the right elbow.

The Board denied service connection for the claimed conditions, finding no evidence of such conditions during or after service and no link to herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the case for further medical evaluation and opinion regarding the veteran's upper extremity disability, which is currently service-connected as secondary to a service-connected laminectomy. The appeal will be reconsidered after the additional testing results are available.

The veteran's appeals for service connection were withdrawn, and the Board dismissed his claims due to lack of evidence supporting the claimed conditions.

The Board denied service connection for organic heart disease and peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities, finding no new and material evidence to reopen the claims. The veteran's current conditions are presumed due to in-service herbicide exposure.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD and a skin disability. The decision also addressed other issues such as diabetes mellitus, hearing loss, and sleep apnea.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for various service-connected disabilities were denied. The initial disability ratings assigned for diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, diabetic nephropathy, and nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy were all found to be inadequate.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and its related conditions, finding no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides or other causative factors.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have diabetic neuropathy of the hands and feet, which is a result of disease or injury incurred in service. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a loss of visual acuity, traumatic arthritis of the low back, or peripheral neuropathy due to service. The evidence does not support these claims.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed PTSD was not incurred as a result of his active military service due to lack of credible supporting evidence for the occurrence of the claimed in-service stressors.

The Board has determined that the veteran is entitled to a separate compensable rating of 10 percent for his peripheral neuropathy.

The case is being remanded to obtain the exact dates of the veteran's Active Duty for Training (ACDUTRA) and Inactive Duty Training (INACDUTRA) while serving in the Tennessee National Guard. The veteran has not provided this information, and VA must pursue it until a responsible custodian reports they are unavailable or that further effort would be futile.

The Board has determined that additional examinations are necessary to determine the nature and etiology of the veteran's conditions, including hypertension, tinnitus, hearing loss, prostatitis, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy. The RO will also review the expanded record and readjudicate the issues on appeal.

The RO denied service connection for several conditions, including diabetic retinopathy, status post cardiovascular accident times two, hypertension, status post myocardial infarction, bilateral hearing loss, Hepatitis A, B and C, and neuropathy of the left upper extremity. The veteran's appeal is currently pending.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 as his left leg amputation was not caused by VA care or lack thereof.

The Board has remanded two issues for further development: entitlement to increased ratings for left S1 radiculopathy and peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, and residuals of a gunshot wound of the buttocks. The VA will conduct additional examinations and review the claims based on the Joint Motion.

The Board denied service connection for a right hip disorder and an increased rating for traumatic neuropathy of the right saphenous nerve. The claim for a separate rating for post-operative right thigh scar is pending.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral foot disorder, including pes planus and peripheral neuropathy, is not related to his service-connected left knee disability. The claim for increased rating of the left knee disability remains pending.

The Board has granted service connection for cold injury residuals, including recurrent fungal infections and peripheral neuropathy of the feet. The veteran's current symptoms are found to be related to his in-service exposure to cold weather.