Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2018

The Veteran's appeal for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for left foot peripheral neuropathy has been dismissed because he withdrew his claim prior to a decision being made.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to herbicide agent exposure. A new VA examination is needed to determine if early-onset peripheral neuropathy was associated with Agent Orange exposure, whether the Veteran's diagnosed conditions are related to presumed herbicide agent exposure during service, and if his medication use may have aggravated his condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for service connection of PTSD and also denied his claim for TDIU based on service-connected disabilities. The decision found that there was no legal authority to grant an earlier effective date for PTSD, as the original claim had already been assigned the earliest possible effective date.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II with heart disease, renal dysfunction, and neuropathy due to exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the cause of the Veteran's death, specifically whether his service-connected conditions or exposure during service contributed to his death.

The appeal regarding the bilateral hip disorder is dismissed. The appeals for left shoulder, right shoulder, peripheral vascular disease, and related neuropathy issues are remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inextricably intertwined issues and insufficient evidence regarding exposure to herbicides. The Veteran is also being asked to provide more information about his alleged exposure to Agent Orange or other herbicides during service.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbosacral strain and neuropathy in both lower extremities, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability related to the Veteran's military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development, including obtaining deck logs and verifying his alleged asbestos exposure. The Veteran is also entitled to VA examinations to assess his lung disability, gastric disability, liver disability, erectile dysfunction, prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus, and diabetic neuropathy.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for apraxia of the eyelid opening with blepharospasm, peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities associated with type II diabetes (claimed as carpal tunnel syndrome), tinnitus, and aortic aneurysm. The evidence does not support these claims.,The Board found that there is no direct or secondary service connection for any of these conditions.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including upper extremity peripheral neuropathy and diabetes mellitus type II. The Veteran is also being asked to provide VA treatment records and undergo examinations for his PTSD and diabetes.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus.,Service connection was also granted for trigger finger of the left index finger, but the claim is being remanded due to lack of examination.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for erectile dysfunction was denied, and his claim for a TDIU was granted. The Board found that the Veteran’s service-connected disabilities rendered him unemployable due to PTSD, ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities, and erectile dysfunction.

The Veteran's TBI and its residuals, including migraine headaches, were granted service connection effective February 20, 2014. Diabetes mellitus type II was also granted as secondary to PTSD, with specific disabilities listed.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Bilateral Lower Extremity Peripheral Neuropathy, and Bilateral Upper Extremity Peripheral Neuropathy. The appeals are granted to that extent.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his right thumb fracture, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, left leg polyneuropathy and restless leg syndrome, and right leg polyneuropathy and restless leg syndrome are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed conditions, including ischemic heart disease, diabetes, bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, a bilateral eye condition, and hypertension, all as not being related to his military service or exposure to herbicide agents.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, diabetes, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and coronary artery disease, have prevented him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment since November 30, 2006. The Board has granted a TDIU effective that date.

The Veteran's period of service from November 3, 1965 to April 24, 1970 is considered a bar due to his AWOL for over 180 days.,Claims for service connection were denied for various conditions including low back disability, ischemic heart disease, urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for subjective sensation in the right foot is denied. The Veteran's duodenitis, claimed as a stomach condition and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), is granted with a 10 percent rating effective September 12, 2017. The Veteran's claim for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities is denied.