Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2017

The Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy, tinnitus, and PTSD are all granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's upper and lower extremity neuropathy is secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and thus grants service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board grants a TDIU.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy due to herbicide exposure, as no evidence was provided showing a relationship between the Veteran's condition and his military service or herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, bilateral upper and lower ulnar neuropathy, lung disability, and sleep apnea are being remanded due to the need for further development including medical examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as the evidence did not support a finding that any of the claimed conditions were related to his military service, including exposure to herbicides.,The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as the evidence did not support a finding that any of the claimed conditions were related to his military service, including exposure to herbicides.

The Board finds that the Veteran did not serve in Vietnam and thus is not entitled to presumptive service connection for any conditions. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that any of his claimed disabilities are related to service.

The Veteran's appeal involves claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right and left upper extremities, which he contends is related to his exposure to herbicide agents (Agent Orange) or secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II. The VA examiner found that there was no direct causation from Agent Orange exposure but did not address whether the Veteran's condition was aggravated by his service-connected diabetes.

The Veteran's right and left foot conditions, including dermatophytic infections and peripheral neuropathy, have been rated at 30 percent each since February 17, 2016. The effective date is not specified.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him incapable of securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, claimed as bilateral leg pain, is caused or aggravated by radiation treatment for his service-connected prostate cancer. As a result, the claim for accrued benefits is granted.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to address the nature and etiology of any neurological condition of the bilateral lower extremities, including peripheral neuropathy and sciatica. The appeal is now REMANDED.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetes and peripheral neuropathy, render him unable to obtain and retain employment, even sedentary employment. TDIU is granted on an extraschedular basis.

The Board found that the effective dates for service connection of peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities should not be earlier than March 18, 2010 as these conditions were first diagnosed on or after this date.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for diabetes mellitus, type 2 is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination. Additionally, the issues of whether neuropathy and radiculopathy should be considered for service-connection are also being remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy, finding no evidence of a current disability and concluding that there is insufficient medical opinion to support a link between his in-service exposure to herbicide agents and his current condition.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities, finding that the evidence does not support a higher rating based on the severity of his symptoms.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hand disability, including arthritis, is not related to service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current neurological disability of the upper extremities is not related to his service, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus is currently rated at 20 percent disabling. The Board denied a higher rating as the evidence did not show that his diabetes required insulin, restricted diet, and regulation of activities. However, the Veteran was granted TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.