Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2018

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of cold injury to the upper and lower extremities have been granted separate disability ratings for peripheral neuropathy (PN).,Higher initial evaluations are not warranted for the Veteran’s service-connected residuals of cold injury.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his painful surgical scar of the left wrist was denied. The claim for an earlier effective date for service connection and separate rating for left wrist tenosynovitis was also denied. The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his status-post carpal tunnel release with median nerve neuropathy, left (non-dominant) wrist/hand is remanded.

The appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been dismissed. The appeals for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, as well as an increased rating for PTSD, are being remanded.

The Board denied service connection for left upper extremity, right upper extremity, left lower extremity, and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy due to Agent Orange exposure.,The Board also remanded the claims for service connection for a heart condition and kidney disorder.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection and compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151, but has remanded one issue: whether left lower extremity peroneal neuropathy is related to a service-connected disability or an in-service injury.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence and needs further examination for service connection of peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, as secondary to service-connected back and/or bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for heart disability, esophageal disability, cirrhosis, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities as these conditions resulted from alcohol abuse during service. The Veteran's claim for Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) was also denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, as well as left and right leg/foot disabilities (claimed as cellulitis), due to exposure to herbicides. The claims are being remanded for further development including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's disabilities, including coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, are now rated at a combined rating of 80 percent. A total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral knee disability, erectile dysfunction, and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy as secondary to his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with myositis. The VA examiners are requested to provide opinions on whether these conditions are aggravated by the service-connected condition.,The Veteran's claims will be remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the relationship between his service-connected condition and the claimed secondary disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities due to a lack of nerve conduction studies in his VA treatment records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, diabetes mellitus, and bilateral neuropathy, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions preclude his ability to work.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities due to Agent Orange exposure, as there is insufficient evidence to determine if presumptive service connection applies. The Veteran will need to be afforded a VA examination to determine if his condition is related to service.

The Board has remanded the issues of increased ratings for bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy and service connection for GERD. The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy is currently rated as 40 percent for the left upper extremity and 50 percent for the right upper extremity, reflecting severe incomplete paralysis of the median nerve in both sides.

The Board has granted service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction, finding that the Veteran's service-connected condition caused his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for gunshot wound residuals, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, and tinnitus were denied as there was no evidence to support the claims. The Board found that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen any of these claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea has been reopened, and the Board grants a new rating. The claims for increased ratings for prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy are all denied.

The Board has ordered additional action on the claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction and bilateral lower extremity neuropathy due to a remand from the Court. The Veteran's death in January 2013 is noted, along with his military service history.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus type II, heart condition, hypertension, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, and depression have been remanded due to new evidence submitted since the last denial.,Additional searches are needed to verify the Veteran's alleged service in Vietnam.