Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2008

The Board found that the veteran's claimed residuals of a right arm injury were not incurred in active service and does not currently experience any disability due to these residuals. The veteran's service-connected diabetic neuropathy of the right upper extremity and left lower extremity are not more disabling than currently evaluated.

The Board granted service connection for type I diabetes mellitus, which is presumed to have been incurred in active military service. The issues of entitlement to service connection for gastroparesis with muscle loss and stomach impairment, retinopathy, and neuropathy as secondary to diabetes mellitus are remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the lower and upper extremities as there was no current diagnosis. The claim for a bilateral foot disorder is remanded.

The appeal is remanded to the RO for additional development, including VA examinations and readjudication of the claims.

The Board denied an increased disability rating for left arm peripheral neuropathy, granted an increased disability rating for CAD to 10 percent, and denied an increased disability rating for nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy.

The veteran withdrew the appeal before a decision was made.

The appeal was remanded to provide the veteran with proper VCAA notice regarding a secondary service connection claim for peripheral neuropathy.

The veteran's neuropathy of the right foot is secondary to his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, and he is entitled to a 70 percent rating for PTSD from July 25, 2007.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis C, PTSD, an eye disorder, bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and a bilateral foot condition, claimed as jungle rot.

The Board has determined that the veteran's testicular nodule, cervical radiculopathy, peripheral neuropathy, sleep apnea, anemia, periodontitis, hemorrhoids, depression (related to PTSD), migraine headaches, and carpal tunnel syndrome are not related to his active service. However, the veteran's depression is related to his service-connected PTSD.

The appeal was dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence is against the claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for peripheral neuropathy, left upper extremity.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy as secondary to diabetes mellitus, finding that the evidence did not support a link between these conditions and the veteran's military service.

The claim for service connection for PTSD was reopened, but the claims for coronary artery disease, prostate cancer, peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities, and hypothyroidism, each claimed as secondary to exposure to ionizing radiation, were remanded.

The appeal is remanded to the RO for further development of evidence related to the veteran's diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy claims.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and right ulnar neuropathy and peripheral neuropathy of the extremities, finding no evidence that these conditions were related to military service or a service-connected disability.

The veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the right and left arms was not found to warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent, as the disability picture more closely approximated mild incomplete paralysis.

The Board denied an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for right and left foot peripheral neuropathy, a compensable evaluation for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The veteran's coronary artery disease, hypertension, and peripheral vascular disease have each been aggravated by his service-connected diabetes.