Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2018

The Veteran's multiple service-connected conditions, including sleep apnea and thoracolumbar spine issues, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied service connection for sensory deficits at the area of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve on the right side, as well as peripheral neuropathy of the feet and hands and fingers. The Veteran's symptoms are not considered to be related to his active service.,Service connection was granted for peripheral neuropathy of the feet due to herbicide agent exposure and service-connected type II diabetes mellitus.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and remanded his claims for peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities. The Veteran is also being asked to provide additional evidence or attend VA examinations.

Service connection is granted for ischemic heart disease due to presumed exposure to Agent Orange. The Veteran's bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy are remanded for further evaluation.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities as secondary to diabetes mellitus.,Service connection was not granted because there is no evidence that the Veteran served in Vietnam, thus precluding the application of the Agent Orange presumption.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, type II and peripheral neuropathy have been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his coronary artery disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus with diabetic neuropathy, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as of September 17, 2013. The Board grants the TDIU claim but dismisses the increased rating claim for coronary artery disease.

The Veteran's left lower extremity neuropathy has worsened since her last VA examination, and a new examination is required to assess the current severity of her condition.

The Board has denied service connection for prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, PVD of the bilateral lower extremities, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, and erectile dysfunction due to lack of evidence of herbicide agent exposure during service. The claims are remanded for further development.

The Board denied increased ratings for diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities, finding that the Veteran's conditions did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings under applicable VA rating criteria.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of the scars and left-hand neuropathy have been denied. The Board found that the preponderance of evidence did not support higher ratings.,The claim to reopen a service connection for a left leg disorder has been granted, but the issue remains pending as it is remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected conditions, including PTSD and coronary artery disease, make him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's application to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is granted. The Board also remanded the issues of service connection for bladder cancer and TDIU due to inextricably intertwined nature.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and evaluation of his disabilities due to incomplete examinations, lack of clarification from previous VA examiners, and other procedural issues.

The Board has decided the case needs further examination and evaluation to determine if the Veteran currently suffers from peripheral neuropathy, its likely cause, and whether it is related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus or exposure to Agent Orange.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, is currently rated at 20 percent. The Board has determined that the evidence does not support a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 7913 for Diabetes Mellitus Type II. For the period prior to October 31, 2016, the Veteran's TDIU claim was remanded due to insufficient schedular criteria and referral for extraschedular consideration is warranted.

The Board has granted service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities with an effective date of January 13, 2012. The Veteran's claim was previously denied in 2004 and 2008 but reopened on new evidence submitted after these decisions.

The Veteran's initial disability evaluations for peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities remain denied, but a higher rating is granted from November 25, 2015.,Service connection for hypertension remains remanded due to insufficient explanation regarding the relationship between the condition and service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities, as well as the claim for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD. The TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral ulnar peripheral neuropathy and atrophy were not incurred in service, including due to herbicide exposure. The Board found no evidence of the condition during service or within one year after separation.