Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2018

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions, including peripheral neuropathy and irritable bowel syndrome.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for all issues listed, including service connection claims and increased rating claims. As a result, the appeal is dismissed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current peripheral neuropathy and neuropathic pain symptoms are related to an in-service electrical injury, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation since May 20, 2011.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities during the appeal period and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus with hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and gastroparesis is rated at 20 percent prior to June 9, 2016, and 60 percent thereafter. The Veteran's atherosclerotic coronary vascular disease (CAD) is also rated at 60 percent since May 10, 2016. Service connection has been established for right and left upper extremity neuropathy, lip disability, mitral regurgitation and tricuspid regurgitation, glaucoma/cataracts, chronic kidney disease, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and gastroparesis as secondary to diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetes mellitus, right knee injury, and hip arthritis, prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's nerve disorder of the feet, claimed as peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral feet, is not related to his military service and does not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities of cold injury with neuropathy in his bilateral lower extremities and hands prevent him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment as of April 28, 2015.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hand tremors and Parkinson's disease, as well as peripheral neuropathy, all presumed to be due to herbicide exposure. Service connection for a liver condition is not addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection. The appeals for hypertension, ischemic heart disease, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities were dismissed due to withdrawal.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, finding that there is no evidence to support a nexus between his current conditions and service or any service-connected disability.

The Veteran's peroneal neuropathy of the right lower extremity is rated at 20 percent, and his right hip arthritis is found to be secondary to his service-connected peroneal neuropathy. The Board has granted a higher rating for the peroneal neuropathy.

The Veteran's PTSD, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities are all granted as service-connected due to exposure to herbicides during her active military service.

The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy is being remanded for a VA examination to determine if it is related to his military service, including herbicide exposure. The examiner will also assess whether the Veteran has small fiber polyneuropathy and consider its relation to his service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral lumbar radiculopathy is proximately due to his service-connected low back strain and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, finding that the established schedular criteria adequately addressed his disability levels and symptomatology.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability of the left or right foot that had onset in service or was caused by his active military service, to include his service connected bilateral knee osteoarthritis. The Veteran's bilateral peripheral neuropathy did not have onset in service and was not caused by or related to his active military service, to his service connected bilateral knee osteoarthritis.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II is found to be etiologically related to his herbicide exposure, and service connection for this condition is granted. The claim for peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities remains pending as it was not addressed in the decision.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, which include diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities, meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU effective January 11, 2011.