Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2019

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, finding no current diagnosis of these conditions and concluding that there was insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between any diagnosed condition and service.

The Board is remanding three issues: service connection for hypertension (secondary to PTSD), service connection for nephropathy, and service connection for diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities.,The Veteran's service connection claims for nephropathy and diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities have been reopened due to new evidence. The Board is remanding these issues as well.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities, both secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of thoracolumbar strain, neuropathy of the great toes, and flat feet are denied. The Board has remanded the Veteran's service connection claims for a psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) and for flat feet.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, Parkinson’s disease, erectile dysfunction, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and buttocks are presumed to be associated with in-service Agent Orange exposure. The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is remanded for further examination.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for a left elbow disability, including as secondary to a service-connected disability due to inadequate examination and opinion regarding both direct and secondary service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding her anemia, incontinence, neuropathy of the lower extremities, Raynaud’s phenomenon, and thoracolumbar spine strain.

The Board has denied service connection for sleep apnea and remanded the issue of service connection for neuropathy of the left lower extremity due to Agent Orange exposure.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, and peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to active duty.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy due to potential etiology from his service-connected disabilities and/or exposure. The Veteran is also seeking a rating adjustment, but that aspect of the appeal is not addressed in this decision.

The Board denied service connection for a disability of the left hip and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, finding no evidence to support these claims.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus and granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, migraine headaches, sleep apnea, tinnitus, cervical spine injury, lumbar spine condition, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, heart condition, prostate condition, left foot condition, right foot condition, and seizure disorder. The Veteran's claim for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus is granted.

The Board has denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right and left upper extremities, spinal stenosis, unspecified blood disorder, and skin cancer as not related to service or herbicide exposure. The case is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded for additional examinations and information to determine the severity of his service-connected disabilities, including whether 'black outs' are due to peripheral neuropathy.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to October 3, 2008 for his award of total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) as he did not meet the threshold minimum schedular percentage standards under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(a) for a TDIU prior to that date.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and an examination to determine if the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy is related to his service, including exposure to herbicide agents.

The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy is being remanded for a VA examination to determine if it was caused or aggravated by an injury in service, specifically a head injury in March 1979.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right upper extremity neuropathy, finding no current diagnosis of the condition and that any symptoms are not related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service connection claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, lung cancer, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, headaches, and skin disability are all granted. The grants are based on presumptive service connection due to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.