Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2019

The Veteran's PTSD is granted a 100 percent rating, and the issues of TDIU and increased ratings for diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including skin disability, peripheral neuropathy of upper and lower extremities, PTSD, and TDIU. The decision is based on insufficient evidence for some of these claims.

The Veteran's gout is service-connected, but his vitamin B12 deficiency and diabetes mellitus type II are not.,Service connection for bilateral upper and lower extremity neuropathy, nocturia, kidney failure, nephrolithiasis, stomach and colon polyps with wedge resection, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and anemia is being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities has been rated as noncompensable prior to January 28, 2013, and at a 10 percent rating thereafter. The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity is currently rated as 10 percent disabling.,The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have resulted in a combined total rating of 90 percent from September 22, 2009 to January 3, 2012, which has granted him TDIU during this period.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of both feet due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during service. The case will be reviewed again with a new medical opinion.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral lower extremity disabilities and several other conditions, have resulted in a combined rating of 100 percent. The Board has granted SMC benefits at the (r)(1) rate based on his need for regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities. Additionally, the Veteran is eligible for specially adapted housing as he meets the criteria for loss or use of both lower extremities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining and retaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy and sleep apnea have been granted due to the submission of new and relevant evidence.,Service connection has also been granted for right upper, left upper, and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathies. The Veteran's scar on his right shin and knee is denied.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted due to his service-connected disabilities, which meet the threshold schedular requirement for a TDIU under VA regulations. The question is whether these service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for special monthly compensation based on need for aid and attendance of another person due to service-connected disabilities, as well as housebound status due to service-connected disabilities. The evidence did not establish that the Veteran was in need of regular aid and assistance or permanently housebound solely due to his service-connected conditions.

The Board has determined that the remand directives have not been substantially complied with and another remand is necessary due to incomplete opinions regarding service connection for reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD), recharacterized as peripheral neuropathy left foot and right foot.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for ulnar neuropathy and compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 due to unclear etiology, inadequate opinions regarding informed consent and follow-up appointments, and missing treatment records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy were denied as there was no evidence of in-service injury or disease related to these conditions. The Board found that the disabilities did not manifest within a presumptive period and were not otherwise etiologically related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, soft tissue sarcoma, and subacute peripheral neuropathy are all granted. The claim for service connection for subacute peripheral neuropathy is denied due to lack of evidence meeting the required presumptive criteria.

The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy disability is remanded for a new VA examination to determine the current severity of his condition.

The Board has granted service connection for right wrist pain and neuropathy (right wrist disability) and chronic regional pain syndrome in the right upper extremity (CRPS). Service connection for a left ankle disability is denied. The Veteran's hypertension remains at a 10 percent rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy and degenerative joint disease of the hands, to include as secondary to service-connected fibromyositis of the lumbar muscles, was reopened. The case is remanded for further development including obtaining VA treatment records and a VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have not been shown to preclude substantially gainful employment prior to April 7, 2011. Therefore, entitlement to a TDIU is denied for the period prior to that date.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right lower extremity disability, specifically peripheral neuropathy. The Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during service and reports experiencing tingling sensations in his feet shortly after separation.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are linked to his in-service exposure to herbicide agents. The claims were remanded for further action on other issues.