Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2012

The Veteran's familial essential tremor and mild to moderate polyneuropathy are found to be the result of disease or injury incurred in or aggravated during active military service.

The Board has determined that further development is required, including obtaining private medical records and providing the Veteran with a VA examination regarding his peripheral neuropathy. The case will be returned to the Board for adjudication.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including verifying herbicide exposure and scheduling a VA examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy of the feet.

The Veteran's bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy is manifested by intermittent subjective complaints of numbness and tingling in the hands, but no objective findings warrant a compensable rating.

The Veteran's current neurological impairment is not deemed to be related to the May 2002 surgeries performed at the VA Medical Center in Clarksburg, West Virginia.

The Board found that the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities did not have onset during active service, was not caused by active service, and did not manifest within one year of separation from active service. Therefore, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Veteran's right and left feet disabilities have been rated as diabetic neuropathy, with the highest available rating of 30 percent for each foot.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a videoconference hearing. The claims for service connection remain pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a Travel Board hearing. The initial compensable rating and increased disability rating claims are pending.

The Board finds that the Veteran's claimed disabilities of the lumbar spine, cervical spine, bilateral lower extremities, and bilateral feet are not related to his military service.,The VA examiner opined that these conditions are less likely as not caused by or a result of military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for higher initial evaluations for his right and left lower extremity neuropathy, finding that they did not meet the schedular criteria for a 20 percent rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's right genitofemoral nerve neuropraxia is currently rated at 10 percent, and a separate 10 percent rating has been granted for neuropathy of the right femoral (anterior crural) nerve. The maximum ratings available under existing diagnostic codes have been assigned.

The Veteran's right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is currently rated as 20 percent disabling, effective August 6, 2008.,The Veteran's left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is currently rated as 20 percent disabling, effective August 6, 2008.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating due to individual unemployability resulting from service-connected disabilities was remanded by the Court. The effective date of his TDIU award is May 2, 2005.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for examinations to determine his current conditions and entitlement to benefits. The claims of service connection for PTSD, peripheral neuropathy, chronic foot infection, rheumatoid arthritis, and SMP are currently on hold pending completion of this development.

The Board has granted increased ratings for peripheral neuropathy of the right and left upper extremities, with a rating of 30 percent for each. The Veteran's service connection claim for PTSD remains pending.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus has been reopened and is now being reviewed on the merits.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been reopened and is now being reviewed on the merits.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities has been reopened and is now being reviewed on the merits.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for prostate condition, ganglion cysts (right foot and left wrist), degenerative joint disease (upper and lower extremities), back condition, and sleep apnea secondary to PTSD are all pending and will be remanded for further review.

The Veteran seeks service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, to include as secondary to type II diabetes mellitus due to Agent Orange exposure during service in Vietnam. The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy and his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has reopened the previously denied claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the extremities, to include as due to Agent Orange exposure. The Veteran's current diagnosis is considered presumptive based on his presumed in-service exposure to herbicides.