Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2017

The Veteran's unemployability is due to his service-connected disabilities, which have rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during service and therefore, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, prostate cancer, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma are presumed to have been incurred in service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a hearing and further development. The issues of service connection for headaches, peripheral neuropathy in the left lower extremity, and reopening his previously denied psychiatric disability are still pending.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection of peripheral neuropathy with facial agitation and finds that it is related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type 2. The evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's currently diagnosed peripheral neuropathy with facial agitation is related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to schedule a Board hearing due to the failure to reschedule his previously scheduled hearing. The claims for increased ratings and service connection are not addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to incomplete records and the need for a new VA examination. The issues of service connection for depression and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities are also pending.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the upper left and right extremities, osteoarthritis of the left and right knees. The Veteran is also found to be unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran is now service-connected for additional disabilities, including peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, cataracts, and hypertension. These conditions have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since December 8, 2016.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for updated VA examinations and additional VA treatment records. The issues of increased rating for left lower extremity neuropathy and TDIU are also before the Board.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence to support service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities or an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The Veteran's claims are denied.

The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities is rated at 20 percent, effective July 1, 2009. The claim for a TDIU is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's small fiber peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity is caused by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board found that the appellant did not have service connection for a heart disorder, diabetes mellitus, or diabetic neuropathy of bilateral lower extremities due to his INACDUTRA service. The claims were denied as there was no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicide agents and no current disability related to these conditions.

The Veteran's application to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for diabetes was denied. The evidence received since the October 2006 decision did not relate to injury or disease in service or a nexus between post-service disability and service.,The Veteran's application to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (major depression) was denied. The evidence received since the October 2006 decision did not relate to injury or disease in service or a nexus between post-service disability and service.,The Veteran's application to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for tinnitus was granted. The evidence received since February 2009 addressed the unestablished fact of a current disability, which is new and material.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete records and need for VA examinations.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity and left upper extremity was denied as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis.,Service connection was granted for peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity and left lower extremity, both resulting from cold injury during active duty.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since March 6, 2013.

The Veteran's right leg neuropathy is currently rated at 40 percent, the maximum schedular rating available under Diagnostic Code 8521. The Board finds that a higher disability rating is not warranted as there is no evidence of complete paralysis or severe incomplete paralysis of the sciatic nerve.