Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2017

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current peripheral vascular disease and peripheral neuropathy are not related to service or a service-connected disability, thus denying these claims.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a neurological disorder of the right arm, diagnosed as right ulnar nerve neuropathy, on both a direct and secondary basis to his service-connected cervical spine disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the etiology of his lumbar spine disorder and upper extremity neuropathy.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for SMC based on need for aid and attendance or housebound status.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied for lung disorder, liver disorder, tendonitis, bilateral hearing loss, and diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction. The Veteran's PTSD claim was granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone render him in need of regular aid and attendance, warranting the grant of special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus does not warrant a rating in excess of 20 percent, and his diabetic peripheral neuropathy is rated separately for each affected extremity.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability and lower extremity radicular symptoms are not related to service, and thus denied these claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sensory neuropathy of the right upper extremity is not proximately due to, the result of, or aggravated by a service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine DJD and DDD are service connected.,The Board has also determined that the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity is secondary to his now service-connected lumbar spine DJD and DDD. ,Similarly, the Board has determined that the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity is also secondary to his now service-connected lumbar spine DJD and DDD.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for peripheral neuropathy, which is presumed related to exposure to Agent Orange. The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy is found as likely as not due to his in-service herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II, was granted an increased rating to 20 percent. Service connection for bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, bilateral cataracts, and erectile dysfunction were also granted as secondary to his diabetes.

The Board found that the right leg disability did not result in a degree of impairment comparable to severe or complete paralysis of the external cutaneous nerve of the right thigh, and thus denied an increased rating.

The Veteran's service connection claim for residuals of cold injury to the feet, including osteoarthritis and neuropathy, was granted. The TDIU issue is pending as it has not been perfected with a substantive appeal.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for diabetes mellitus with cataracts and retinopathy was denied. The Board found that the current 20 percent rating adequately reflects the Veteran's disability, as he does not require regulation of his activities due to diabetes.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities are being remanded due to incomplete development. The VA will obtain a new medical opinion regarding whether these conditions were caused or aggravated by his diabetes mellitus, or if they are related to herbicide exposure in Vietnam.

The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the right and left upper extremities has been rated at 20 percent since January 22, 2013. The Board found that his symptoms prior to this date did not warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to January 20, 2009. However, for the period on appeal from January 20, 2009 onward, his service-connected disabilities, as likely as not, precluded him from obtaining or maintaining such employment.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU prior to January 5, 2009 were denied. The Veteran's low back condition is rated at 40 percent, with separate ratings of 10 percent for each lower extremity radiculopathy from June 13, 2011, to August 30, 2015; and 40 percent from August 30, 2015. The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is rated at 10 percent prior to June 13, 2011, and 40 percent from June 13, 2011, to August 30, 2015.