Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for colon cancer and bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy due to outstanding VA treatment records. The claim for a temporary total evaluation based on treatment for colon cancer is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the service connection claim.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the relationship between sensory peripheral neuropathy and herbicide agent exposure in Vietnam.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, diabetes mellitus, and diabetic neuropathy due to outstanding VA treatment records and a need for further medical examination.

The Veteran's claims for higher evaluations for service-connected diabetes and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities are being remanded due to additional evidence not having been considered.

The Veteran's service-connected distal sensory peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities is now rated at 20 percent effective November 28, 2014.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder remains pending due to procedural defects.

The Board denied service connection for emphysema, pulmonary hypertension, sleep apnea, and neuropathy of the lower extremities.,There is no evidence linking these conditions to service or any presumptive period.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of PTSD has been reopened, and the appeal is granted to that extent. The VA examinations have not provided sufficient information on whether his acquired psychiatric disorders are superimposed upon his personality disorder or proximately due to any service-connected disability.

The Veteran's major depression is currently rated as 70 percent disabling and denied an increased rating. The Veteran was granted a TDIU based on her service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's cold injury residuals of the left and right feet are remanded for further examination to determine if separate ratings are warranted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for financial assistance in the purchase of an automobile or other conveyance and/or necessary adaptive equipment due to lack of loss or permanent loss of use of one or both feet, hands, or hips.

The Board denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy, finding that the Veteran's exposure to Agent Orange did not cause his condition and there was no evidence of early-onset peripheral neuropathy within one year after separation from service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for warts of the left-hand is denied as he has not been diagnosed with a discernable disability. Claims for hypertension, cervical spine disability, left hip disability, right hip disability, and neuropathy of the right lower extremity are also denied.

The Veteran's service connection claims for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities are remanded due to insufficient evidence to determine if his condition is related to his in-service exposure to toxic chemicals.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than February 25, 2014 for a 100% total disability rating on multiple service-connected conditions was denied as none of the conditions increased in severity within one year prior to his claim.

The Veteran was granted TDIU from December 19, 2013, to May 14, 2014, due to service-connected PTSD and bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities. Prior to this period, he did not meet the criteria for TDIU as his combined disability rating was insufficient.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient medical evidence linking the Veteran's current disabilities to her in-service events, including a December 1987 motor vehicle accident. The Veteran contends that her stroke and peripheral neuropathy are related to these incidents.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, peripheral neuropathy and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, and peripheral neuropathy and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity are all being remanded for further review due to recent developments in his case.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied as his service-connected disabilities, alone, do not meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU rating. The Board found that he is not unemployable due to his service-connected conditions and that non-service-connected conditions were more likely responsible for his unemployment.

The Veteran's service connection claims for diabetic retinopathy of the right eye, neuropathy of the left hand, and PTSD are granted. The remaining issues (neuropathy of the right hand and psychiatric disability other than PTSD) are remanded due to outstanding VA treatment records and need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and multiple physical impairments.

The Veteran's service-connected non-Hodgkin's lymphoma was reduced from 100% to noncompensable. Separate evaluations of 20% were granted for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities as residuals of NHL. A TDIU was also granted effective April 1, 2011.