Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2011

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his blindness and PTSD, are found to have caused or contributed substantially to his death from renal failure due to hypertension.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus does not warrant a rating in excess of 20 percent, and his peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity warrants a 10 percent evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss, diabetes mellitus (due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam), and erectile dysfunction as secondary to coronary artery disease. Service connection is denied for peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities and kidney disability.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including a statement of the case on service connection for coronary artery disease and an examination to determine his employability.

The Veteran's appeals have been withdrawn prior to a decision being made.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy in both upper and lower extremities is not service-connected, as it is secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities with loss of equilibrium and Dupuytren's contractures, finding that his condition was not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy is now rated at 30 percent, and his left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is also rated at 30 percent.

The Veteran's claims for peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities and a right elbow disorder were denied as they are not service-connected.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy is caused by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and thus grants the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease is presumed to be due to his in-service herbicide exposure. His osteomyelitis and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities are found to be secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II. The Veteran's hypertension is not service connected as it does not meet the presumptive criteria for diseases associated with herbicide exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, and benign prostatic hypertrophy were not incurred or aggravated during service. The evidence does not support a finding of exposure to herbicides for any of these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unemployable as of February 21, 2008. His TDIU claim was granted with this effective date.

The Veteran's service-connected left arm condition is not productive of limitation of motion to midway between the side and shoulder level or at the shoulder level, even taking into account repetitive motion testing and his complaints of pain.,The Veteran's service-connected left knee condition is not productive of flexion limited to 45 degrees or less nor extension limited to 10 degrees or more, even taking into account repetitive motion testing and his complaints of pain. The Veteran's left knee instability is only slight.,The Veteran's service-connected right knee condition does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation as it is productive of no more than slight instability.,The Veteran's service-connected CAD is not productive of a workload of greater than 5 METs but not greater than 7 METs resulting in dyspnea, fatigue, angina, dizziness, or syncope, or evidence of cardiac hypertrophy or dilatation on electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, or X-ray.,The Veteran's service-connected left carpal tunnel syndrome and cubital tunnel syndrome with ulnar neuropathy is productive of no more than moderate incomplete paralysis of the ulnar nerve.,The Veteran's service-connected right carpal tunnel syndrome does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation as it is only mild incomplete paralysis of the median nerve.,The Veteran's service-connected arthritis of the right hand does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation as there are no more than noncompensable limitations in range of motion of the right wrist and each finger on the right hand, with no evidence of incapacitating exacerbations.,The Veteran's service-connected GERD is not productive of diastolic pressure predominantly less than 100 or systolic pressure predominantly less than 160.

The Board has restored service connection for CAD (with hypertension and residuals of a myocardial infarction and residuals of coronary artery bypass grafting), Peripheral Vascular Disease with peripheral neuropathy of each lower extremity, and Erectile Dysfunction.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, but granted secondary service connection for peripheral neuropathy due to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back disorder is related to his service, and thus grants service connection for a low back disorder.

The Veteran's combined disability rating is 70 percent as of September 8, 2008. The Board finds that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disorder and peripheral neuropathy, finding that there was no evidence of such conditions in service or within one year after separation. The Board also found that the Veteran did not have valid exposure to herbicide agents during his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded to the RO for further development, including obtaining updated VA and private treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.