Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2019

The Board has denied service connection for skin cancer due to presumed herbicide agent exposure and remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy secondary to diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's service connection claims for left knee arthritis, right knee arthritis, coronary artery disease, bilateral nephropathy (claimed as kidney disease), and neuropathies in the upper and lower extremities have all been denied.,Service connection was not established for any of these conditions due to a lack of medical evidence linking them to service.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as stressor-related disorder and PTSD, is granted service connection.,Service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity to include restless leg syndrome and due to exposure to herbicide agents is granted. Service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity to include restless leg syndrome and due to exposure to herbicide agents is also granted.,The Board has remanded these issues for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including ischemic heart disease and diabetes, have prevented him from obtaining substantially gainful employment. The Board granted a TDIU rating prior to May 28, 2015.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and evaluations. The claims for increased disability ratings are also being remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate examinations and insufficient rationale provided by medical professionals. The issues include erectile dysfunction, left lower extremity radiculopathy and/or peripheral neuropathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy and/or peripheral neuropathy, all potentially related to his service-connected conditions or medications.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including PTSD, foot injuries, and other disabilities, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board granted the Veteran's claim for TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran, which suggests that his Raynaud’s disease and neuropathy of the bilateral foot may be residuals of a cold injury. The examiner is requested to provide an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not (50 percent probability or more) that these conditions had their onset in service or are otherwise etiologically related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have precluded him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation for the period on appeal, and the Board has granted TDIU.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for sensory motor peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity and TDIU due to his service-connected right knee disability. The Veteran is seeking an increased evaluation for his right knee disability, which currently results in a 60 percent rating from October 28, 2015.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for Parkinson’s Disease and diabetes mellitus (type II) are remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding herbicide exposure. The claim for diabetic neuropathy of the left lower extremity is also remanded.,A cardiovascular examination is needed to determine the current severity of the Veteran's coronary artery disease.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for rheumatoid arthritis, left hip disability (claimed as left hip replacement), pulmonary disability (COPD), Raynaud's disease, skin cancer, and neuropathy of the lower extremities due to potential service connection based on herbicide exposure. The claims are being remanded for further development including obtaining medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The claim for direct service connection of a back disability is granted. Other claims are denied.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, including degenerative disc disease with right foraminal stenosis, is granted as service connected.,Right sciatica neuropathy is granted as secondary to the Veteran’s service-connected low back disability.,Migraine headaches are granted as service connected.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and an addendum opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left lower extremity neuropathy, as well as a VA examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected bilateral hip strain and left arm neuropathy.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection of type II diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy in the right lower extremity, and peripheral neuropathy in the left lower extremity due to the appellant's withdrawal of all issues on appeal.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities as not related to service or exposure to herbicide agents.

The Veteran's germ cell cancer in remission is granted. The claims for sensory neuropathy, hypercholesterolemia, high blood pressure, hearing loss, tinnitus and Raynaud’s phenomenon are remanded due to lack of current diagnoses. The claim for PTSD is also remanded.

The Veteran's claims for right arm disability and lung condition due to asbestos exposure are remanded as new evidence has been submitted, but further examination is needed to determine the nature of his conditions.

The Board has determined that the reduction of the Veteran's left lower femoral nerve disability from 30 percent to 10 percent, effective May 2, 2017 was proper due to improvement in his condition.