Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2010

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and peripheral neuropathy, finding no evidence of such conditions during service or within one year post-service. The Veteran's claim to reopen his peripheral neuropathy was also denied due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional evidence and a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to December 1, 1994 for service connection of PTSD is granted. The Veteran's current rating for loss of sense of smell (10%) is the maximum schedular evaluation and no higher rating is warranted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an annual clothing allowance as there was no evidence of damage to his outergarments from prescribed medication due to a service-connected disability.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for the issues of entitlement to service connection for myelopathy with atrophy and central canal stenosis, cervical spine; polysensory motor neuropathy, bilateral hands; polysensory motor neuropathy, right foot; and PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings, entitlement to TDIU, and entitlement to an extraschedular evaluation are being remanded due to the need for further development of evidence.,Service connection for hypertension was denied in a March 2002 rating decision. New and material evidence has not been received to reopen this claim.

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal, and the Board dismissed the case as a result.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, diabetes, peripheral neuropathy of the lower and upper extremities, glaucoma, and residuals of a right hand fracture, render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted his claim for TDIU.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, peripheral neuropathy, vascular problems and erectile dysfunction, all claimed as secondary to herbicide exposure. The Board found that there was no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides or a link between these conditions and service.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a diagnosed condition of peripheral neuropathy in his lower extremities, and thus denied both claims for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, diabetes, peripheral neuropathy of all four extremities, tinnitus, and acneform, are found to be sufficient for a TDIU based on the evidence showing he is unemployable due to these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the left and right upper extremities, finding that there is no evidence to support a diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy. The Veteran's symptoms were attributed to carpal tunnel syndrome and possible radiculopathy.,Service connection was also denied for kidney failure, acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD or anxiety attacks), and gastrointestinal disability (Crohn's disease).

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for arthritis of the right and left knees, as well as service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, are granted. The conditions are found to be secondary to his service-connected low back disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her lumbar spine disability, posterior tendonitis of the left ankle, and rupture of the right Achilles' tendon were denied. The maximum schedular rating available for these conditions was already assigned.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder (PSD) has been granted. The remaining issues of peripheral neuropathy evaluations have been remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's request to reopen his claim, finding that new and material evidence was not submitted. The previous determination that injuries sustained by the Veteran in a motor vehicle accident on or about April 14, 1982, were not incurred in LOD is considered final.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for obesity, diabetes mellitus type II, peripheral neuropathy of the extremities, hypertension, and sleep apnea have all been denied as these conditions are not related to his military service or a service-connected disability.

The Board found that there is no evidence to support the appellant's claims for service connection for DDD of the lumbar spine and sciatic neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, as his current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board has granted a 70 percent rating for the service-connected ulnar neuropathy of the left hand, which is currently at its highest possible rating under Diagnostic Code 8516. The Veteran's symptoms and functional impairment are considered to be equivalent to loss of use of the left hand, warranting this higher rating.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings in any of her service-connected conditions.