Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2008

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions are not related to her service and therefore denied her claims for service connection.

The veteran's claim for an effective date prior to October 8, 2004 for a separate 10 percent disability rating for service-connected peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity associated with type II diabetes mellitus was denied.,The veteran's claim for an effective date prior to October 8, 2004 for a separate 10 percent disability rating for service-connected peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity associated with type II diabetes mellitus was denied.

The veteran's death prevented the payment of accrued benefits due to his having no unpaid periodic monetary benefits at the time of his death.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities is related to his in-service herbicide exposure, specifically Agent Orange. As such, service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, arteriosclerotic heart disease, hypertension, and basal cell carcinoma. The appeals were based on direct service connection rather than herbicide exposure.

The Board has determined that the veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, warrants a 20 percent disability rating as it currently requires insulin and restricted diet without regulation of activities.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need to verify his unverified service and obtain additional evidence regarding his claimed conditions.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unemployable, and the Board has granted a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the veteran's diabetes mellitus warranted a 20 percent rating, and his peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities warranted separate 10 percent ratings. The appeals for higher ratings were denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have peripheral neuropathy of the feet and hands related to service or his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for erectile dysfunction, peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities, diabetic nephropathy, and diabetic retinopathy with cataracts. The evidence did not support a higher evaluation for any of these conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, left ulnar nerve neuropathy, and arthritis of the left shoulder are all related to his service.

The veteran's claims for hearing loss, sleep disorder, lethargy, PTSD, stomach problems, intestinal polyps, skin condition of the legs, face, and arms (previously claimed as itching), diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, and headaches have all been denied. The RO found no evidence to support these conditions or their relationship to service.,The veteran's claims for PTSD were previously denied due to lack of verified stressor events. New evidence submitted since the previous denial does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities alone do not prevent him from obtaining substantially gainful employment.

The veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, diabetic retinopathy, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and chronic kidney failure due to herbicide exposure are all granted.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and determining if there is a relationship between the veteran's hepatitis C with peripheral neuropathy and his military service.

The Board denied service connection for a brain tumor, focal seizures, and peripheral neuropathy of the left hand as these conditions were not directly incurred in service or due to Agent Orange exposure.

The veteran's nonservice-connected disabilities are of such nature and severity as to permanently prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment, warranting a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current diagnoses of degenerative joint disease and neuropathy of the hands are related to his in-service cold injury, thus granting service connection for these conditions.

The veteran's case is being remanded to obtain additional VA records and to schedule a VA examination. The issues include an increased evaluation for diabetes mellitus, reopening of a claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity as secondary to diabetes mellitus, and service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the left upper and bilateral lower extremities and hypertension as secondary to diabetes mellitus.