Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2019

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus secondary to hearing loss. The claims for diabetes and peripheral neuropathy due to Agent Orange exposure in Korea are remanded.

The Board denied service connection for lung cancer, neuropathy, hepatitis C, and an acquired psychiatric disability. The decision also remanded claims for a back disability, neck disability, colonic polyps, cellulitis of right forearm.

The Board has decided to remand several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including increased ratings and earlier effective dates. The main reasons for this are incomplete development of records from prior periods of active service and additional medical examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, excluding PTSD, do not render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's left and right upper extremity neuropathy are granted with initial ratings of 30% and 40%, respectively, effective April 13, 2010. The cervical spine disability is remanded for further examination to determine the appropriate rating.

The Board has determined that additional VA examinations are needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's claimed bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and peripheral neuropathy. The claims for service connection will be remanded.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, Type II, is granted as presumptively service-connected due to herbicide exposure. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertension, and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to uncertainties regarding the Veteran's periods of active duty and in-active duty training, as well as the need for a new examination to determine if any current right leg disabilities are related to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for diabetes mellitus, upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy have been denied. The current ratings of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus, 10 percent each for upper extremities, and 30 percent each for lower extremities are upheld.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations to determine the nature and etiology of her left ankle, right ankle, and right foot neuropathy disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities, finding that there was no evidence showing he was unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment prior to May 2, 2011.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted. The claims for increased ratings for erectile dysfunction, left wrist tenosynovitis, and right wrist tenosynovitis are denied. The Veteran's claims for service connection for a respiratory disability, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, left foot neuropathy disability, and right foot neuropathy disability are remanded.

The Board has dismissed the appeals regarding entitlement to service connection for left hip disability, right hip disability, and neuropathy of the upper extremities as the Veteran withdrew his appeal prior to a decision.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding service connection for a below the knee amputation of the right leg, rating in excess of 20 percent for plantar warts of the right foot, and TDIU.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, bilaterally shortened metatarsals, right shoulder disorder, and left shoulder disorder. The claim for a left foot disorder is remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension, peripheral neuropathy (upper left and right extremities), and cataracts/loss of vision due to secondary service-connected diabetes mellitus II. The Veteran is also being remanded for a VA examination related to his spouse's eligibility for special monthly compensation based on need for aid and attendance.

Your appeals for service connection and increased ratings have been dismissed due to your withdrawal of the appeal.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of peripheral neuropathy in all four extremities, finding that there was no evidence to support an earlier date than January 6, 2014.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities due to Agent Orange exposure and secondary to a pre-existing condition. Additional VA examinations are needed to determine if these conditions are present, their etiology, and whether they are related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, coronary artery bypass, diabetes mellitus, polyneuropathy of the extremities, and nephropathy, precluded him from obtaining substantially gainful employment for the period prior to March 5, 2018.