Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new evidence being added to his case file.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities, and residuals of a right foot injury. The issues regarding initial evaluations for DJD/OA of the left knee and DDD of the spine are remanded.

The Veteran's PTSD, left and right hand peripheral neuropathy, and cold injury residuals of the hands have been granted service connection. The Veteran is assigned initial ratings for his conditions.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations are inadequate and remands the case for further development, including additional examinations to address service connection and SMC claims.

The Board has remanded the cases due to missing VA treatment records. The Veteran's claims for service connection are not addressed in this decision.

The Veteran is granted service connection for hypertension due to herbicide agent exposure.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, is denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions have rendered him unemployable since December 21, 2011. The Board has granted TDIU for this period.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has decided to remand them due to the need for additional examinations and records.

The Board denied an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II, finding that it only requires insulin and restricted diet.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for service connection of bilateral upper extremity diabetic neuropathy, but granted effective dates for left knee meniscectomy with degenerative joint disease and lumbar spine DDD. The initial rating for lumbar spine DDD was also granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete development and need for additional examinations. The issues include diabetic neuropathy, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, chest pain (coronary artery disease), chronic fatigue, sleep apnea, hypertension, and various sized growths on his body.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence.,Further evaluation and documentation are needed.

The Veteran is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities, which include bilateral hearing loss, PTSD, diabetes, and peripheral neuropathy. The Board has granted the TDIU claim based on these conditions.

The Veteran's initial claim for higher ratings for LUE and RLE peripheral neuropathy was denied. The appeal is REMANDED for further development.,For the period prior to November 21, 2017, the Veteran’s LUE peripheral neuropathy was rated as mild incomplete paralysis of the ulnar nerve.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity as secondary to his service-connected Intervertebral Disc Syndrome involving nerve root level L5-S1. The issues of entitlements to a rating in excess of 20 percent for peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, effective February 5, 2016; compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, effective December 10, 2010; propriety of reduction from 60 percent to 40 percent for Intervertebral Disc Syndrome involving nerve root level L5-S1, effective September 1, 2016; and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) for service-connected disabilities are REMANDED.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for all issues except those related to his right elbow. As a result, the Board is dismissing these appeals.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including left knee OSD and arthritis, DM (diabetes mellitus), sleep apnea, high blood pressure/HTN, left hand contusion residuals, frostbite of the right foot, frostbite of the left foot, neuropathy of the feet, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), and chronic headaches. The Board found that these conditions were not incurred or aggravated by service.,The decision also noted that some conditions may be related to pre-existing conditions or other factors.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, hypertension, and a lumbar spine disorder, as they are related to herbicide agent exposure. The RO is instructed to verify the Veteran’s alleged exposure to herbicides in Vieques Island, Puerto Rico, or at Fort Sherman, Panama.

The Veteran's application to reopen his claim for service connection for hypertension, as well as the issues of peripheral neuropathy and chest growths or masses, are remanded due to insufficient evidence. The Board requests additional medical records and a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, and PVD with femorotibial bypass of the left lower extremity due to inadequate medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran must be provided new VA examinations.