Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2012

The Board has remanded the case for additional development and notification due to a lack of proper notice in previous decisions. The Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy, an increased rating for PTSD, and TDIU are being addressed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are sufficient by themselves to preclude him from obtaining or maintaining any form of substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and industrial background.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the Board is dismissing all outstanding issues from appeal.

The Veteran seeks a certificate of eligibility for assistance in acquiring specially adapted housing due to his service-connected disabilities. The case is remanded as the current evidence does not adequately address whether his service-connected disabilities alone preclude locomotion and require the use of a wheelchair or other ambulatory assistance.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for clarification of his representation, obtaining outstanding VA medical records, and issuance of a statement of the case on the issues of increased rating and effective date.

The Board denied increased disability ratings for PTSD and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher evaluations.

The Board denied service connection for a skin disability on the back, peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities, and an acquired psychiatric disability (to include PTSD), finding no current evidence of these conditions or their onset in service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the percentage requirements for a TDIU, as his combined rating is 90 percent and does not include one disability rated at least 40 percent. The Board finds that he can still obtain and retain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's gait ataxia was not incurred or aggravated in service, and may not be presumed to have been incurred due to his active duty service or in-service exposure to herbicides. The Board found the evidence did not support a connection between the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy and Agent Orange exposure.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple claims for increased ratings and effective dates, as well as a claim for TDIU. The Board has determined that additional development is needed to ensure all relevant evidence is considered in the decision-making process.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a certificate of eligibility for the purchase of an automobile and adaptive equipment, or adaptive equipment only.

The Veteran's initial ratings for peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity and left upper extremity have been granted at 40 percent, effective March 24, 2004. The initial ratings for peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity and left lower extremity remain at 20 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for mild ulnar neuropathy of the left upper extremity, but denied service connection for neuropathy of the right upper extremity.

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

The Board has granted service connection for depression and bilateral peripheral neuropathy, finding that the conditions are secondary to other service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right shoulder and cervical spine disabilities are being remanded to allow for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling the Veteran for VA examinations.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, to include as a result of in-service exposure to herbicides, have been dismissed due to his withdrawal.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II and associated diabetic retinopathy with neuropathy of the left fingers are currently rated as 20 percent disabling. Separate ratings for peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity (left foot) and right lower extremity (right foot) have been granted.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and denied increased ratings for peripheral neuropathy of the right and left upper extremities. The Veteran's conditions are currently rated as follows: loss of use of both feet (100%), coronary artery disease (60%), PTSD (50%), arthritis of the lumbar spine (40%), peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity (30%), peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity (20%), diabetes mellitus, type 2 (20%), compression of the L5 nerve root with numbness in the left foot (10%), and erectile dysfunction (noncompensable).

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for scheduling a personal hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at the RO, and will return the claims file after the hearing.