Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2014

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess his ability to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted a TDIU effective from April 5, 2009, finding that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities increased in severity to a degree warranting unemployability as of that date.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for peripheral neuropathy of the right upper, lower extremities and left lower extremity are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The claims for diabetes mellitus, Type II and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities are remanded due to incomplete medical records.

The Board has granted a separate 20 percent rating for each upper extremity neuropathy, as distinct from the rating assigned for diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran is granted TDIU effective from May 28, 2010. The issue of TDIU prior to that date is remanded for further development.

The Veteran is presumed to have been exposed to herbicide agents while serving in Thailand, and his diagnosed ischemic heart disease and diabetes mellitus are presumed related to such exposure.,Diabetic retinopathy, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and nephropathy were not found to be presumptively related to herbicide exposure.

The Board has received a withdrawal of the appeal from the appellant's authorized representative, thus dismissing the appeal.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus is found to be related to his peripheral neuropathy of both hands and feet, thus granting service connection for these conditions as secondary to the service-connected diabetes.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including a chest condition, diabetic retinopathy, and gastrointestinal disability (claimed as gastroenteritis), were denied. The Board found that the evidence was at least in equipoise regarding peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities as a result of diabetes mellitus, erectile dysfunction caused or aggravated by diabetes mellitus, and bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus incurred in service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, coronary artery disease, and right foot Charcot arthropathy were denied as there was no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides or other causative events. The Board found that the current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development of his claims, including obtaining updated treatment records and personnel records. The VA audiological opinion will be obtained based on noise exposure as a driver in a Motor Transportation unit.

The Veteran's claim for an increased initial rating for left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is being remanded due to the need for a new examination and additional treatment records.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining an addendum opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's hypertension and bilateral lower extremity symptoms.

The Veteran's current disorders affecting his neck, right shoulder, right arm, and right fingers are not shown to be causally or etiologically related to his active military service, including his in-service herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities was not incurred in or aggravated by active service, exposure to herbicides, or a service-connected disability. The Board denied service connection for this condition.

The Board has dismissed the appeals due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to verify his Vietnam service and exposure, including requests for liberty logs from the USS Princeton.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for various conditions, including PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, ischemic heart disease, hypertension, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and testicular cancer. The appeals were based on presumed exposure to herbicides in service.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Ocala Regional Medical Center on September 9, 2009, September 11, 2009, and September 15, 2009 are denied as they were not for emergency treatment.