Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's conditions and their relationship to his service or a back disability.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disability and a left hand disability with neuropathy and carpal tunnel syndrome, finding no evidence of a nexus to service or service-connected conditions.,For the left hand disability, the Board also found no additional disability due to VA surgical treatment in November 2005.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including VA treatment records and a VA examination for his coronary artery disease. The claim will be remanded for these actions.

The Board denied reopening of the claims for service connection for a right eye disability, gout/gouty arthritis, DM with neuropathy, sleep apnea, and sore heels due to lack of new and material evidence. The Veteran's claim for service connection for sore heels was also denied as there is no medical evidence linking his current heel pain to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including asbestosis, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, chloracne, peripheral artery disease, and erectile dysfunction are all denied.,The Veteran was not exposed to herbicides during his service on the USS Perry in Vietnam. His claims for these conditions are therefore denied.

The Veteran's claims of increased ratings for his left shoulder impingement syndrome and service connection for his left upper extremity neuropathy are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Veteran's claims for a separate compensable rating for diabetic retinopathy and initial ratings in excess of 10 percent for left and right lower extremity diabetic neuropathy prior to May 26, 2016 have been dismissed.,For the period since May 26, 2016, the Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for left and right lower extremity diabetic neuropathy are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to the Veteran's reported exposure to toxic chemicals during a flood and cleanup at Fort Leonard Wood in 1975. The VA is instructed to investigate further and obtain additional information.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy and his active duty service, including herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, malaria, and erectile dysfunction, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including back disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, circulatory problems, type II diabetes mellitus, and diabetic neuropathy. The reasons given were that the disabilities did not manifest within one year of service separation or are otherwise unrelated to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral upper extremity neurological disabilities, including a focal motor seizure disorder, carpal tunnel syndrome, and ulnar sensory neuropathy, are at least as likely as not related to service.

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine, low back, bilateral hip, and neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities disabilities as they are not shown to be related to military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right leg osteoarthritis, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy (Agent Orange exposure), and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy (Agent Orange exposure) due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his active service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a sleep disorder secondary to his service-connected peripheral neuropathy and cold injury residuals is remanded due to the inadequacy of the 2015 VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's pulmonary fibrosis and polyneuropathy are not caused by VA treatment, as they were a result of taking properly prescribed medication (Amiodarone) after other treatments failed. The proximate cause was not due to VA negligence or fault.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and earlier effective dates have been dismissed.,The RO granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy and erectile dysfunction, a diabetic ulcer on the left foot, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, and SMC based on loss of use of creative organ. The effective date was set at April 28, 2008.

Service connection for PTSD with anxiety is granted.,Service connection for depressive disorder NOS and mood disorder, as secondary to service-connected prostate cancer, is granted.

The Veteran's depression has been granted a rating of 70 percent, but no higher. The appeal is denied for the other issues.

The Veteran's back disability and PN of the bilateral lower extremities are related to his service, specifically jumping from helicopters in Vietnam. The Board has granted service connection for these conditions.,The Veteran's right leg condition (right knee strain) is not related to service.