Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2013

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus and related complications are not service-connected as they did not manifest during his period of active duty or within one year thereafter. The Board finds that the Veteran's current conditions, including bilateral upper and lower extremity neuropathy and erectile dysfunction, are not due to disease or injury incurred in service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred on May 10, 2007 at BryanLGH Heart Institute (BHI) because the treatment was not rendered in an emergency situation and a VA facility was feasibly available.

The Veteran's chronic neurological disability manifested by pain in the right and left lower extremities, diagnosed as peripheral neuropathy, is related to his service-connected type 2 diabetes mellitus. The Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus is found to be the primary cause of his current diabetic neuropathy and acquired eye disability. PTSD was not incurred or aggravated in service.

The Veteran has withdrawn all of his issues on appeal, including those related to diabetes mellitus, insomnia, retinopathy, skin condition, neck condition, erectile dysfunction, right shoulder disorder, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and shingles. The Board finds that the Veteran's withdrawal constitutes a dismissal of the appeal.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the relationship between his service-connected plantar callosities and other diagnosed conditions.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities are granted as service connected. The Board found that his current diagnoses were due to his military service exposure.

The Board denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities as secondary to herbicide exposure (Agent Orange) due to lack of evidence showing a nexus between the condition and service.

The Board has determined that the appellant's claimed disabilities, including peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, right hip disability, bilateral knee disabilities, and lower back disability, are not related to his active service. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's diabetes and bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities are currently rated at 20 percent each, which is the maximum schedular rating available under VA's rating criteria. The Board finds no evidence to support a higher rating for either condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, warranting a TDIU rating.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and VA vocational rehabilitation records. A VA examination will also be conducted to assess the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.

The Veteran is found to be unemployable due to service-connected disabilities, specifically PTSD and diabetes mellitus. The Board grants a TDIU for the entire appellate period.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for back, neck, lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, brain aneurysm, and soft tissue deterioration/sarcoma have been denied. The Board found no evidence of current disabilities or a nexus to service.

The Veteran's partial left peroneal nerve neuropathy is shown to have most nearly approximated complete paralysis of the left external popliteal nerve, warranting a 40 percent rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities is caused by his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus type II, bilateral Charcot joints, bilateral foot drop, peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and cataracts, are denied as they cannot be presumed to have been incurred in or aggravated by his military service due to lack of exposure to herbicide agents.

The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity has been rated at 50% since July 14, 2008. The left upper extremity was rated at 40% during this period.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus and associated peripheral neuropathy were previously denied, but the RO has since granted separate 10 percent ratings for each upper and lower extremity.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to determine if any current neurological disabilities of the Veteran's face and bilateral hands are related to his military service or caused by in-service disease, event, or injury.