Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2006

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected disabilities did not cause his death and did not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation by reason of need for regular aid and attendance or being permanently housebound.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including chloracne, peripheral neuropathy, porphyria cutanea tarda, skin cancer, soft tissue sarcoma, multiple myeloma, Hodgkin's Disease, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, cancer of the sinuses, respiratory cancer, cancer of the mouth with blindness, and prostate cancer are not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The case is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations and clarification of the appellant's hearing preferences.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right and left feet were denied. The Board found that his conditions did not warrant a compensable rating for hearing loss or an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for either foot.

The VA determined that the veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable due to his physical limitations, and thus denied his claim for a TDIU.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a left leg disorder and found that new and material evidence has been received. However, the Board denied the claim as there is no medical evidence linking the current axonal polyneuropathy to service.

The Board granted earlier effective dates for the grant of service connection for right and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, but denied an earlier effective date for entitlement to TDIU.

The veteran's service connection claim for chronic femoral neuropathy of the left leg is granted. However, his increased rating claim for allergic rhinitis remains denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy, finding no competent medical evidence linking his current condition to exposure to Agent Orange or service.

The Board previously denied the veteran's claim for an increased initial evaluation for right ulnar neuropathy, currently evaluated as 10 percent disabling. The U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims has ordered a remand due to insufficient detail in past VA examinations and failure to consider functional loss due to pain.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including gas and constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, coronary pulmonary disease, elevated cholesterol and triglycerides, sleep apnea, and Type II diabetes mellitus were denied. The Board found that these conditions did not meet the criteria for service connection based on their onset during or within one year after service.

The veteran's claim for special monthly pension based on the need for regular aid and attendance is denied as he is not legally blind or bedridden, nor does he have any other condition that requires him to be in need of regular aid and attendance.

The Board finds that the medical evidence of record does not support service connection for residuals of mononucleosis or peripheral neuropathy, and thus denies both claims.

The veteran's skin rash of the right leg does not meet criteria for a compensable rating.,PTSD was not diagnosed, and service connection is denied.,Residuals of a concussion were not found, and no head injury was noted in service records.,No evidence linked current back disability to service.,Cataracts/blindness were not diagnosed at the time of discharge from service, and there is no evidence linking current condition to service.,Peripheral neuropathy due to herbicide exposure was not diagnosed as a result of Agent Orange exposure.,Diabetes mellitus due to herbicide exposure was not diagnosed or established through service connection.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations and effective dates have been granted, with the highest possible schedular ratings assigned.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to properly evaluate the veteran's service-connected peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, secondary to diabetes. The case will be returned for further action.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, did not reopen the claim for frostbite of the ears due to lack of new and material evidence, but found that there is no current disability related to service or a service-connected condition for neuropathy and circulatory disorders of the lower extremities.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current peripheral neuropathy is related to his in-service exposure to Agent Orange, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The temporary total rating claim was also denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for compensation benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 due to bilateral lower extremity polyneuropathy, finding that there is no causal connection between the VA surgery and treatment and the veteran's current condition.