Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2014

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his left hand disability was granted, but the service connection claim for prostate cancer remains unresolved.

The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities is at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus, and thus he is entitled to service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of both upper and lower extremities is related to his herbicide exposure during service, specifically Agent Orange.

The Veteran's allergic rhinitis and paresthesias of bilateral lower extremities are found to be related to his service, thus granting service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple issues related to various conditions, including hypertension, sleep apnea, traumatic brain injury, peripheral neuropathy, and PTSD. The Board has ordered the case back for a videoconference hearing.

The Board found that the Veteran's lumbar spine, bilateral knee, and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy disorders did not manifest within one year of service discharge and are not caused or aggravated by his service-connected residuals of foot injury.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diagnosed mild degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, mild peripheral neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, was managed with insulin and oral medications but did not require regulation of activities or result in weight loss or ketoacidosis. The disability rating remains at 20 percent.

The Board denied service connection for a spine disorder and denied entitlement to TDIU based on the lack of evidence linking current disabilities to service, including any presumptive exposure. The Veteran's back pain was found to have started in December 1971, well after his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including scheduling a video conference hearing. The Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of both legs are pending.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities is granted. The decision is based on the Veteran's service-connected conditions, including his heart disorder, diabetes, and peripheral neuropathy, which collectively meet the criteria for TDIU.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, peripheral neuropathy of the right hand, and peripheral neuropathy of the left hand as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD. The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD, and peripheral neuropathy is not shown to be causally or etiologically related to any disease, injury, or incident in service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment consistent with his educational and work background.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a supplemental opinion from a VA examiner to address the etiology of the Veteran's claimed peripheral neuropathy of the right forearm and whether it is related to his service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's claimed residuals of lead poisoning, including gout and peripheral neuropathy, were not incurred in service. The Board found that the current diagnoses are not related to active duty.

The Veteran's appeal is denied as the Board finds that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, porphyria cutanea tarda (PCD), and PTSD. The Veteran's reports of in-service stressors are deemed unreliable.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations to assess the severity of her service-connected disabilities and obtain relevant medical records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current neurological disorder of either lower extremity, and finds that his right leg numbness is more likely related to spinal stenosis rather than diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to address issues related to service connection and exposure claims, as well as new evidence submission.