Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2006

The Board is remanding the case for additional development due to issues related to service connection and new evidence.

The veteran's service-connected diabetic neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities is currently rated at 10 percent, but does not meet criteria for a higher rating based on current evidence.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for xanthoma disseminatum and peripheral neuropathy, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The VA denied the appellant's claim for special monthly pension based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another person due to her disabilities, which do not render her unable to care for most of her daily needs without requiring A&A.

The Board found that the veteran's service in Vietnam was not established, leading to a clear and unmistakable error in granting presumptive service connection for his disabilities. The severance of these conditions is upheld.

The veteran's claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy is being remanded to the RO for a Board video-conference hearing before a VLJ or Acting VLJ sitting in Washington, D.C.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions are not related to his military service and have denied all of his claims.

The Board has determined that the veteran's lower abdominal pain and left sural neuropathy are proximately due to, or aggravated by, his service-connected bilateral inguinal hernia repairs. The Board also found that these conditions do not constitute a separate disability for which service connection is in order. However, the Board concluded that the veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine may be related to his service-connected bilateral inguinal hernias.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's polyneuropathy of the feet, which is believed to be due to frostbite sustained during his military service in Korea.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for traumatic arthritis of the right ankle with limitation of motion was granted, and a 10 percent disability rating was assigned effective June 9, 2003.,Service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities was also granted, but no specific effective date is provided as it pertains to an earlier claim that became final.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations of diabetes mellitus, type II and clinical diabetic peripheral neuropathy of both the right and left legs are being remanded due to a need to obtain his Social Security Administration (SSA) records.

The Board has remanded the claims for arthritis of hands and feet, chronic toenail fungal infection, and hepatitis C due to exposure to cold weather in service. The veteran's claim for diabetic neuropathy is denied as there is no evidence linking it to active service or a service-connected condition.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral peripheral neuropathy and an increased evaluation for residuals of a fracture of the left femur with left knee pain, finding no evidence linking these conditions to service or his service-connected left femur disability.

The Board denied the veteran's increased rating claim for his service-connected median/ulnar neuropathy of the left hand, currently evaluated as 20 percent disabling.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for various conditions, including service connection and increased ratings. The appeals were not successful in all cases.

The Board has granted service connection for chloracne, peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, and an eye disorder (claimed as failing eyesight). The effective date is not specified.

The Board finds that the veteran does not require aid and attendance of another person due to his disabilities, including diabetic retinopathy which resulted in blindness in one eye. Therefore, he is denied special monthly pension based on need for aid and attendance.

The Board found that an earlier effective date for the award of non-service-connected disability pension is not warranted, as there was no prior informal or formal claim received by VA prior to November 13, 2001.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a TDIU based on service-connected disabilities, finding that his combined rating did not meet the schedular requirements and that he was not unemployable due to these conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities, and therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.