Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2007

The Board denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral hands and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities, finding no evidence linking these conditions to service or any service-connected disability.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy, bilateral upper extremities, secondary to type II diabetes mellitus and determined that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for hearing loss.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to address the veteran's claims for service connection due to conflicting medical opinions regarding PTSD, potential need for additional evidence from SSA, and incomplete notification of the claimant.

The Board found no evidence of exposure to Agent Orange during service and denied the veteran's claims for service connection for gastric cancer, kidney disease, and peripheral neuropathy as a result of such exposure.

The Board has determined that the veteran's peripheral neuropathy is etiologically related to his exposure to herbicides in service, specifically Agent Orange. Therefore, the claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy is granted.

The veteran's skin disorder and peripheral neuropathy are granted service connection, with the latter being secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board found that it was not factually ascertainable prior to November 16, 2004 that the veteran was permanently and totally disabled due to his service-connected conditions. Therefore, the effective date for non-service-connected disability pension cannot be earlier than November 16, 2004.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy, finding that there is no current disability and insufficient evidence to connect any past or present symptoms to his military service.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for an increased disability rating of 30 percent for neuropathy of his right fifth and seventh cranial nerves, finding that the condition did not warrant a higher evaluation.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development regarding the veteran's status at the time of his injuries and to obtain medical opinions if necessary.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current diagnoses of diabetic retinopathy and peripheral neuropathy in both lower extremities, thus denying service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed peripheral neuropathy and skin condition are not service-connected due to lack of evidence showing a nexus between these conditions and his military service, including presumed exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development of his claims, including obtaining additional VA medical records and providing him with VCAA notice regarding disability ratings and effective dates.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for her mitral valve prolapse and herniated disc, C6-7 with neuropathy. The current rating of 30 percent for mitral valve prolapse is found to be appropriate based on the clinical evidence.

The Board found that the veteran's coronary artery disease and bilateral peripheral neuropathy were not caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Board found that the veteran's seizure disorder and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities were not caused by VA carelessness, negligence, or similar fault. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding in favor of compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, muscle deterioration, a skin condition, and PTSD due to Agent Orange exposure. The evidence did not establish current diagnoses or a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities and PTSD, finding no evidence of a causal relationship to his military service or exposure to herbicide agents. The claim for an earlier effective date for PTSD was also denied.

The veteran's peripheral neuropathy was not incurred in or related to his service, including exposure to herbicide agents. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for service connection for immersion foot and peripheral neuropathy due to exposure to herbicides (Agent Orange) in Vietnam. The case will be further developed with a medical opinion regarding the cause of his current peripheral neuropathy.