Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2016

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for soft skin sarcoma and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities, as well as his claim to reopen a previously denied kidney disability. The Veteran was also denied entitlement to TDIU due to the lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings for depression and upper extremity neuropathy was granted, while his TDIU claim was also granted. The Veteran is now rated at 10% for each of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has received a withdrawal request from the appellant, thus dismissing the appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right and left upper and lower extremities, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to the Veteran's in-service exposure to herbicide agents, including Agent Orange.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment prior to May 28, 2012.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and diabetes mellitus type II, are sufficient to produce unemployability without regard to advancing age.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings and service connection, finding that the effective date for the grant of PTSD with alcohol abuse was July 21, 2008. The issues remain pending.

The Board has granted the reopening of the claim for service connection for a bilateral knee disability, finding that new and material evidence supports this claim. Service connection is now established for the Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities as secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for various issues including service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and a dental condition as secondary to diabetes mellitus. The claim for reopening of the knee disability was also denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as his conditions are not shown to be related to military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for distal sensory polyneuropathy of the upper and lower extremities. The issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability remains pending.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is presumed to have been incurred in service. The Board finds that the Veteran has current peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, but there is no evidence of a right knee disability due to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, hepatitis C, an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as anxiety and depression), erectile dysfunction, peripheral vascular disease of the lower extremities, and several types of neuropathy. The decision was based on a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for hypertension and granted service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, as well as a renal disorder. The Veteran's TDIU claim is also addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's left ulnar neuropathy was initially rated at 10 percent prior to October 26, 2011 and increased to 40 percent thereafter. The claim is granted for the period beginning October 26, 2011.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining a VA examination and addressing the issues of service connection and TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including prostate cancer, PTSD, and peripheral neuropathy, render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any diagnosed disabilities affecting his upper extremities. Additionally, an SOC regarding service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II will be issued.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral cataracts as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II. The Board found that there was no direct link between the cataracts and military service, but did find a link to the Veteran's age-related condition.