Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2009

The Board granted service connection for COPD but denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities.

The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain with degenerative changes and increased the rating to 20 percent, effective February 11, 2005. The Board also granted ratings of 20 percent for right and left lower peripheral neuropathy.

The Veteran's current peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities is related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran did not file a timely Substantive Appeal for any of the service connection or increased rating claims, and therefore these claims are dismissed.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and stroke residuals, including peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, as there was no evidence or opinion suggesting a relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's active military service.

The appeal is remanded to the RO for further development of evidence related to the Veteran's claims.

The Veteran's right ankle disability does not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent, and he is not entitled to TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart condition was reopened as new and material evidence was submitted, but the increased rating claim for varicose veins of the right leg was denied.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and peripheral neuropathy as they were not related to the Veteran's active military service.

The Board finds that it is as least as likely as not that the Veteran's residuals of frostbite to the feet with neuropathy are related to his active duty service.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and heart disease as not being supported by new and material evidence or sufficient evidence linking these conditions to active service.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for peripheral neuropathy of the right foot was denied, and there is no legal entitlement to an effective date prior to August 15, 2002 for the grant of service connection for bilateral pes planus.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, metal in the left hand, coronary artery disease, hypertensive heart disease, hypertension, peripheral vascular disease, and peripheral neuropathy as they were not shown to be related to his active service or secondary to a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the sural nerve was denied, while his PTSD rating was increased to 100 percent effective May 27, 2004.

The Board remanded the case for additional development and adjudication, including obtaining records from Social Security Administration and VA Medical Center.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and related conditions due to a lack of evidence supporting presumed exposure to herbicides during the Veteran's service.

The claim for service connection for depression is dismissed as moot because the Veteran's depression is already included in his service-connected PTSD.

The Board denied the claims for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus as due to herbicide exposure and for peripheral neuropathy, erectile dysfunction, and hypertension as secondary to type II diabetes mellitus.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for his lumbar spine disorder and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, finding that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 20 percent for the lumbar spine disorder or 10 percent for each lower extremity peripheral neuropathy.

The Board granted service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the veteran.