Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2015

The Board found no evidence of current diagnoses for the claimed conditions and denied service connection based on lack of a nexus to active service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis C, liver cancer, a lumbar spine disability, a cervical spine disability, a bladder disability, peripheral neuropathy of bilateral lower extremities, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss. The appeals are granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation for the period from June 5, 2009, to April 25, 2013. The Board granted entitlement to Total Disability Rating due to Individual Unemployability (TDIU) during this timeframe.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities is not service-connected, as there is no evidence linking it to his military service or presumed herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are granted as service connected. The Board found that the Veteran's type II diabetes was caused by his exposure to dioxins in service, and his left foot neuropathy is due to his service-connected type II diabetes.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain a new VA examination for PTSD and to ensure all relevant treatment records are obtained. The issues of initial ratings in excess of 20 percent for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities will be returned to the Board after issuance of a statement of the case.

The Board has been notified of the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal and therefore, the appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development and consideration of his claims, including a TBI examination and adjudication of the psychiatric disorder claim.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 30 percent, effective from August 25, 2010. The appeal for increased rating of PTSD was withdrawn.

The Board has determined that the current evidence of record is insufficient to determine whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities make him unemployable. The case is therefore being remanded for a VA social and industrial survey to assess his overall ability to work.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, when considered together, rendered him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment from July 15, 2010 to July 14, 2011.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims of service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities and hip disability (DJD) on a secondary basis to his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.

The Veteran's service-connected peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity and left lower extremity are currently rated at 10 percent each. The Board has determined that a higher rating is warranted, effective March 18, 2013.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment, beginning on April 4, 2001. A schedular total disability rating based upon individual unemployability is granted.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for cervical spine disability and service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities were denied. The Veteran was not granted any new or material evidence to reopen his claim for service connection for a neurological disorder of the right arm.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for PTSD, tinnitus, peripheral neuropathy of the right sciatic nerve, bilateral hearing loss, and a scar of the right posterior thigh associated with a gunshot wound are denied. The claim for service connection for a right ankle sprain is also denied.

The Board denied service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, finding that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen these claims. The Veteran's left ear disability claim was also addressed but found final due to a prior denial.

The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection for peripheral neuropathy, as there was no in-service diagnosis or treatment and no competent medical evidence linking the condition to active duty.