Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2011

The Veteran's appeal is for earlier effective dates for the award of a temporary total disability rating based on hospitalization for PTSD, and for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities.,These claims are being denied as there is no evidence showing that the Veteran filed an earlier claim with VA.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not incurred or aggravated by service, and is therefore denied.,Service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity and right lower extremity is granted as these conditions are associated with his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board found that the Veteran's polyneuropathy of the lower extremities was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service and may not be presumed to have been.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy and diabetes mellitus, as well as his requests for increased ratings for degenerative arthritis of the knees and thrombophlebitis of the right lower extremity, were denied. The Board found that there was no evidence of peripheral neuropathy and that any potential relationship to service-connected conditions could not be established.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied due to lack of competent evidence supporting his assertions and diagnoses.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, to include as due to Agent Orange exposure. The case is being returned for additional development including obtaining medical records and conducting a VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected right hip disability is not the cause of his left hip, radiculopathy, or peripheral neuropathy. The Board has determined that he does not have a currently diagnosed left hip disability and denied increased ratings for sinusitis.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including verification of herbicide exposure and a VA examination to determine if hypertension is secondary to diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are denied as there is no current diagnosis of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional evidence from his treating physician.

The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity is related to his military service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including verifying ACDUTRA service dates and scheduling VA examinations to address the appellant's claims. The issues include reopening previously denied claims of bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and right foot disability, as well as determining whether new evidence supports reopening other claims.

The Veteran's service connected disabilities, including arthrodesis of the left elbow, rated as 50 percent disabling, left ulnar neuropathy, rated as 20 percent disabling, left knee arthritis, rated as 20 percent disabling, residuals of a fracture of the left tibia, rated as 10 percent disabling, scars of the left arm, rated as 10 percent disabling, and a scar of the left knee, rated as 10 percent disabling, render the Veteran unemployable. Total disability ratings for compensation purposes may be assigned where the schedular rating is less than total, when it is found that the disabled person is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as a result of a single service-connected disability ratable at 60 percent or more, or as a result of two or more disabilities, provided at least one disability is ratable at 40 percent or more, and there is sufficient additional service-connected disability to bring the combined rating to 70 percent or more.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for further development, including a VA examination and additional medical records. The claim will be adjudicated again based on the new evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and his claim for TDIU is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a heart disorder and peripheral neuropathy, lipoma, rashes, diabetes mellitus, and residuals of a laminectomy, all due to in-service herbicide exposure. The effective dates were not addressed.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and need for clarification on service connection issues, including a new VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for automobile and adaptive equipment or adaptive equipment only, special monthly compensation based on need for regular aid and attendance, and a compensable evaluation for cataracts due to untimely notice of disagreement. The appeal is dismissed.

The Board found no evidence of herbicide exposure and denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, retinitis, and peripheral neuropathy as not related to service or a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of a shell-fragment wound with frontal and maxillary sinusitis are currently rated as noncompensable prior to May 18, 2007; 10 percent from that date until March 19, 2010; and 30 percent thereafter. The Veteran's service-connected Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease with peripheral neuropathy is not at issue in this decision.