Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the issues of eligibility for assistance in acquiring specially adapted housing and a special home adaptation grant due to their potential impact on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities. The case is also remanded for further development, including scheduling a VA examination to assess the extent of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, diabetic neuropathy, heart disease, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and bilateral knee disability as there was no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides or other incidents that could have caused these conditions. The Veteran's current diagnoses were not shown to be related to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus with peripheral neuropathy and retinopathy to include as due to herbicide exposure, finding that there was no evidence of herbicide exposure. The Veteran did not submit new and material evidence within one year.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including service connection for various conditions and rating determinations. The specific issues include recurrent skin disorder, psychiatric disorders (including depressive disorder), sleep disorders (including OSA), peripheral neuropathy, prostate cancer residuals, and tinnitus.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, as well as COPD, are denied. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service or presumed exposure to Agent Orange.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, diabetes, and peripheral neuropathy, are rated at a combined 90 percent. The Board finds that these conditions preclude the Veteran from participating in substantially gainful employment due to their severity.

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

The Veteran's right eye disabilities are being remanded for additional development, including obtaining a medical opinion regarding the relationship between his current eye conditions and presumed herbicide exposure. His hypertension is also being remanded for an examination to determine its etiology.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals on all issues related to pes planus, achilles tendonitis, GERD, and neuropathy of the feet before a decision was made.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetic peripheral neuropathy and hearing loss, render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted service connection for ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus type II, and bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy due to herbicide exposure during service in Vietnam.

The Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for TDIU and DEA benefits were denied as the evidence did not show he was unemployable prior to May 16, 2011.

The Board has decided to remand several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims and rating determinations for further development. The Veteran is required to provide information about his treatment providers, obtain relevant VA and private records, and undergo examinations.

The Board restored a 100% rating for diabetes mellitus, type I effective September 1, 2013, as the reduction was improper due to lack of improvement under ordinary conditions of life.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, tinnitus, peripheral vascular disease of the lower extremities, and other conditions, prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation. The Board granted a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) beginning January 5, 2010.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy and his service-connected ischemic heart disease, as well as the potential connection to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's initial and increased ratings for coronary artery disease (CAD) are denied as the evidence does not show more than one episode of acute congestive heart failure, a workload greater than 3 METs but not greater than 5 METs resulting in dyspnea, fatigue, angina, dizziness, or syncope, or left ventricular dysfunction with an ejection fraction of 30 to 50 percent.,The Veteran's increased rating for CAD beginning March 30, 2011 is denied as the evidence does not show chronic congestive heart failure, a workload of less than 3 METs resulting in dyspnea, fatigue, angina, dizziness, or syncope, or left ventricular dysfunction with an ejection fraction of less than 30 percent.,The Veteran's initial and increased ratings for diabetes mellitus type II are denied as the evidence does not show regulation of activities, required daily insulin use, or hospitalizations during the period at issue.,The Veteran's initial and increased ratings for peripheral neuropathy in the right lower extremity are denied as the evidence does not show moderate, incomplete paralysis.,The Veteran's initial and increased ratings for peripheral neuropathy in the left lower extremity are denied as the evidence does not show moderate, incomplete paralysis.

The Veteran's recurrent prostatitis and benign prostatic hypertrophy are granted service connection due to exposure at Camp Lejeune. Service connection for left lower peripheral neuropathy and right lower peripheral neuropathy is remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the nature and severity of the Veteran's bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, specifically which nerves were affected by diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

The Board has granted the appellant's requests to reopen his claims for service connection for cervical spine, lumbar spine, upper extremity neuropathy, and lower extremity radiculopathy. The appeals are now remanded for further development.