Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2012

The Veteran's claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity was granted with an effective date of November 20, 2003.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine if his left lower extremity neuropathy was caused by the September 2005 total left knee arthroplasty and whether it meets the criteria for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development of his claims, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected cervical spine disability.

The Veteran's service connection for diabetes mellitus and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran's currently diagnosed lower extremity peripheral vascular disease may be related to his service-connected DM, but further examination is needed to determine this conclusively.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Board has granted service connection for tendinopathy of the right shoulder, status post arthroscopic surgery; lumbar spine degenerative disc syndrome; and right lower extremity neuropathy. The acquired psychiatric disorder claim is not addressed as it was not part of the appeal.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his right leg peripheral neuropathy is being remanded due to the need for further development, including another VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to new and relevant VA treatment records, private treatment records, and disability retirement pension records being needed.

The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus is presumed to have been incurred in active military service. The Board has granted entitlement to service connection for hypertension, peripheral neuropathy of the hands and feet, erectile dysfunction, and polycythemia vera as secondary to his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for Type II Diabetes Mellitus and associated peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities are being remanded due to incomplete examination reports. The TDIU claim is also being remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with these service-connected disability claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed cervical spine, low back, bilateral hip, and upper extremity neurological disorders are not etiologically related to his military service.

The Veteran does not have neuropathy of the feet that is attributable to his active military service. The Board finds that the Veteran's neuropathy did not manifest for many years after his discharge from service.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus and peripheral neuropathy, finding that the Veteran's symptoms were not related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his bilateral eye disorders and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU. With full consideration of his educational background and occupational experience, the Board finds that the Veteran is precluded from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for various conditions, including bilateral upper extremity and left lower extremity numbness, were denied. The Board found that there was no competent evidence of a current disability related to these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and records.

The Veteran's monoclonal paraproteinemia was not caused or aggravated by his service, and the Board denied this claim.,The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities is related to his monoclonal paraproteinemia, and the Board granted this claim.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone require the regular use of a wheelchair.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for his service-connected left foot disorder, low back disorder, tendonitis of the right knee, and bilateral hearing loss were granted. The initial evaluations assigned prior to February 8, 2007, for left foot disorder are 20 percent; beginning February 8, 2007, they are 10 percent. For low back disorder, the initial evaluation is 30 percent beginning March 31, 2011. The right knee tendonitis initially received a noncompensable evaluation and then a 10 percent evaluation beginning March 11, 2008; it remains at a noncompensable evaluation for hearing loss.