Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2009

The Board denied reopening the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, neuropathy, retinopathy, renal failure, and a foot ulcer due to lack of evidence verifying the Veteran's presence in Vietnam. The new evidence received since July 2002 is cumulative and redundant.

The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities was not found to be related to service or any service-connected disability, including his diabetes mellitus associated with herbicide exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, a respiratory disorder, peripheral neuropathy, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The evidence did not establish current diagnoses or show continuity of symptoms since service.

The Veteran's pilonidal cyst scar and associated peripheral neuropathy have been evaluated at 20 percent since the claim was filed. The Board found that his symptoms do not warrant a higher rating.

The Board has granted service connection for chloracne as part of an immune complex disease, including as due to exposure to Agent Orange. Service connection is also granted for subacute peripheral neuropathy, but the Board finds that it is not related to presumed exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for increased evaluations and service connection, finding that he was already receiving the maximum schedular evaluation for tinnitus and that his PTSD claim lacked legal merit.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including diabetes mellitus type II and its associated secondary conditions, due to a lack of evidence showing such conditions were incurred in or aggravated by his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy is not shown to be more than noncompensably disabling, as there is no objective evidence of mild incomplete paralysis.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn prior to a decision being made.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses of peripheral neuropathy or vision problems related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board granted service connection for peripheral neuropathy of each upper and lower extremity and hypertension. The effective dates are set at July 17, 2008.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for further evaluation of his service-connected disabilities and their impact on his employability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including arthritis, gout, back disability, hearing loss, tinnitus, lung disability (claimed as breathing problems), sleep problems, heart disability, kidney disability, and neck cancer have been denied. The Veteran withdrew his claim for service connection for gout.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA and private medical records, scheduling a VA examination, and readjudicating the claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including as due to undiagnosed illness, cannot be substantiated based on the evidence of record.

Your claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, claimed as secondary to type II diabetes mellitus, has been granted and you are now receiving a 10% disability rating effective June 2009.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional VA examination and consideration of whether an extraschedular evaluation is warranted.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, peripheral neuropathy, and PTSD. The claims are now pending on their merits.

The Veteran's claim for higher initial ratings for peripheral neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities was denied. The Veteran also has a current diagnosis of organic brain syndrome, but service connection is not established.

The Board found that the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities is unrelated to his active duty military service.