Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claims for service connection for CIDP, PTSD, and an undiagnosed illness manifested by abnormal weight loss are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and development of evidence. The issues include back disability, peripheral neuropathy of upper and lower extremities, and renal failure.

The Board denied requests for earlier effective dates for service connection awards of diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, finding that no prior unadjudicated claims existed.

The Veteran's left eye neuropathy is granted a 30 percent evaluation, effective February 5, 2019. The condition was previously rated as left eye trauma with traumatic iritis.

The Board denied service connection for neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to service or a service-connected knee impairment. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected left knee replacement from December 1, 2013 to January 20, 2015 is remanded.

The Veteran's right foot neuropathy is granted, but the left ankle strain/trauma claim is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding its relationship to her service-connected right foot condition.

The Board has decided to remand the case for a medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's additional peripheral neuropathy disability is proximately caused by VA carelessness, negligence, or similar fault in prescribing levofloxacin.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the cause of death and Agent Orange exposure. The appellant seeks service connection for the cause of her husband's death, which is believed to be related to his service-connected conditions and potential Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, as these conditions may be related to herbicide exposure. The Veteran's service records indicate he was stationed in Thailand but also had periods of time where he flew missions in Vietnam. Additional development is needed to confirm his claimed exposures.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for further investigation into his exposure to herbicide agents in Guam.

The Veteran's right and left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy have been granted a disability rating of 30 percent, effective March 2, 2015. The Veteran's right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy has been granted a disability rating of 20 percent, effective January 21, 2011. The Veteran's left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy has been granted a disability rating of 40 percent, effective July 9, 2019.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for diabetes mellitus type 2 and diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities have been denied as his conditions do not meet the criteria for higher ratings under applicable VA rating criteria.

The appeal of the denial of an increased rating for hearing loss is dismissed.,The petition to reopen the claim of service connection for low back disability, left eye disability, and skin disability are granted. Service connection for left eye disability is also granted.,Entitlement to service connection for depressive disorder, vascular disease including hypertension, Raynaud's syndrome, headaches, low back disability, neuropathy of the left lower extremity, neuropathy of the right lower extremity, and a compensable rating for right forehead scar are remanded.

The Board found that the Veteran's appeal was not timely filed in response to the February 2014 Statement of the Case, and thus has no jurisdiction over the March 2012 rating decision.

The Board has remanded the cases due to an inadequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy in both feet. The examiner must provide a new opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not that the condition had onset during service or is otherwise causally related.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for his ulnar neuropathy of the left middle finger is denied as he is already receiving the maximum schedular rating available.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee disability and bilateral lower extremity neuropathy required the need for regular aid and attendance, leading to a grant of special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance at the housebound rate for purposes of accrued benefits.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for an effective date of August 29, 2013 for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on loss of use of both legs preventing natural knee action with a prosthesis in place. The decision is subject to the laws and regulations governing monetary awards.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right upper extremity, left upper extremity, and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy as there is no evidence of a current disability.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is not compensable.,Service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the extremities was denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to service.