Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2008

The veteran's claims for service connection were denied, but new evidence was received that may reopen his claim for a low back disability. The veteran is presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer, enlarged prostate, colon polyps and colon cancer, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral legs, and bilateral hearing loss due to herbicide exposure. The evidence does not support a finding that any of these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The veteran's claims for higher initial disability ratings for diabetic neuropathy of the lower extremities were denied. The veteran's diabetes mellitus was granted service connection with a 40% disability rating.

The Board has determined that the appellant's low back disability to include spinal stenosis and polyneuropathy were not incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an initial compensable evaluation for service connected bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and granted service connection for PTSD, but denied his secondary service connection claims for hypertension, sleep apnea, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and a skin condition. The case is remanded to obtain additional medical records and provide VA examinations.

The veteran's service-connected scars and sensory neuropathy have been rated as noncompensable, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.,Service connection for residuals of left tympanic membrane perforation and residuals of left eye trauma are denied.

The veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and peripheral neuropathy were denied. The Board found no current evidence of these conditions, and thus could not grant service connection. For the right ankle fracture, a higher initial evaluation in excess of 20 percent was denied. For the left femur fracture, an initial compensable evaluation was also denied.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD, enlarged prostate, and peripheral neuropathy of the hands. The veteran's claims were not supported by competent medical evidence.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy as secondary to exposure to herbicides, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current condition and his military service.

The Board found that the evidence does not show a current diagnosis of residuals of cold injury, diabetes, or diabetic neuropathy to the upper and lower extremities. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board found that the veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, standing alone, does not require regulation of activities and denied an increased rating.

The Board found that the veteran's diabetic neuropathy was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and is not secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. As a result, the claim for service connection for diabetic neuropathy was denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have peripheral neuropathy of the upper or lower extremities that is proximately due to or the result of his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus, nor is it otherwise related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for erectile dysfunction, finding that the veteran's condition was incurred during active duty. Service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities is denied as there is no evidence to support this claim.

The Board denied service connection for Raynaud's phenomenon, claiming as neuropathy of the extremities. The veteran's chronic muscle fatigue claim is pending.,Service connection was also denied for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for chronic respiratory failure.

The veteran is seeking a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his service-connected disabilities. The RO has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for examinations of all service-connected disorders.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy, hearing loss, and tinnitus. The decision found no evidence of acute or subacute peripheral neuropathy that would allow presumptive service connection due to herbicide exposure. It also noted there was no in-service diagnosis or treatment for these conditions.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, finding no current diagnosis or evidence of these conditions during service.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected lumbar injury with lumbosacral degenerative disc disease was denied. The RO found that the veteran's orthopedic manifestations did not warrant a higher than 20 percent rating, and only mild sciatic peripheral neuropathy of each lower extremity warranted separate no more than 10 percent ratings.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a head trauma, brain scar, seizures, optic neuritis, neuropathy of bilateral hands and feet, restless leg syndrome, multiple sclerosis, and fibromyalgia as there was no competent medical evidence supporting these conditions or their relationship to her active duty.