Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claim for service connection for vitiligo, claimed as an autoimmune disorder, is granted. The Board finds that the evidence supports a finding of in-service herbicide exposure and current diagnosis of vitiligo. High blood pressure, skin disability (including seborrheic keratosis), and traumatic brain injury are remanded due to lack of medical records and need for further examination.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus type II and peripheral neuropathy of bilateral lower extremities due to conflicting evidence regarding the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus type II, and because no VA examiner has provided an opinion on whether the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy is related to his in-service exposure to Agent Orange.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 40 percent for residuals of laceration right wrist with ulnar neuropathy and degenerative changes was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not indicate complete paralysis or distinct symptomatology warranting separate compensable ratings.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination due to inadequate previous evaluations.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction, retinopathy, bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy as secondary to his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, effective from the date of this decision. The Veteran also received a TDIU rating.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary before a decision can be made regarding the initial rating for diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities. The Veteran's claims file needs to be updated with recent VA treatment records, and he must undergo another VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including PTSD, diabetes, and back issues, combine to make it impossible for him to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board granted TDIU based on the combined impact of his disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease, lower back and related left leg neuropathy have been denied as there is no evidence of a nexus to military service.,The Veteran's hepatitis C has not met the criteria for an increased evaluation in excess of 20 percent due to his current symptoms being consistent with the current rating.,The Veteran's cirrhosis of the liver has not met the criteria for an increased evaluation in excess of 10 percent due to his current symptoms being consistent with the current rating.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings on multiple conditions have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeals.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy is related to his presumed exposure to Agent Orange during service.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities was denied.,The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for right leg ulcers was denied.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals, and the Board dismissed all claims due to the withdrawal.

The Veteran's service connection claims for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, prostate disorder (benign prostate hypertrophy), loss of vision, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, skin disorder, and acquired psychiatric disorder are all granted. The specific determinations include secondary service connection based on diabetes mellitus, type 2.

The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is granted with a 10% rating effective from the date of receipt of claim, September 21, 2012.

The Veteran's PTSD and diabetes mellitus were not found to warrant higher initial ratings. The right and left lower extremity diabetic neuropathies, however, met the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board denied service connection for erectile dysfunction and remanded the claim of peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities. The appeal is being returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Veteran withdrew his claims of service connection for burning/running eyes, hearing loss, and peripheral neuropathy due to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, was granted a staged rating of 20 percent prior to November 30, 2015 and 40 percent thereafter.