Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2019

The Veteran's service-connected prostate cancer voiding disability, combined with other disabilities rated at least 60 percent, meets the criteria for SMC at the housebound rate beyond January 31, 2016.

The Veteran's Parkinson's disease residuals are rated at the maximum available rating of 80 percent, effective from October 17, 2019.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, finding no probative evidence that indicates the Veteran's current disability was incurred in service due to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment, and TDIU is therefore denied.

The Board has granted service connection for Burkitt’s lymphoma of bone marrow and its secondary effects on the Veteran's lower extremities. The issues of branch retinal vein occlusion left eye, chronic kidney disease, and secondary hyperparathyroidism are remanded.,Service connection is granted for peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities as secondary to service-connected Burkitt’s lymphoma.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, including as due to service-connected diabetes mellitus. Additional development is needed to address whether these conditions are related directly to active service or if they are proximately due to or aggravated by service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the claims due to failure to report for scheduled VA examinations, and requests new examinations to assess the current severity of the Veteran's upper extremity neuropathy and depression disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for Parkinson’s Disease and peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities, finding that there is no credible evidence to support his assertions of exposure to herbicide agents during service or a nexus between his conditions and active duty.

The Veteran's PTSD and diabetes mellitus type II have been granted increased ratings, with the peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities receiving separate ratings based on severity. The Veteran is also granted a TDIU.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral peripheral neuropathy, meningioma, hypertension, stroke, and dizziness due to hypertension. The claims are being reviewed to determine if there is sufficient evidence linking these conditions to herbicide exposure during service.

The Veteran's service-connected myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease with ischemia was granted an initial rating of 60 percent. The other issues were either denied or remanded.

The Board has remanded both issues for further development and consideration. For left ear hearing loss, the Veteran contends it is due to noise exposure during service. The VA examiner opined that it is at least as likely as not caused by or the result of noise exposure while in service. However, a new opinion is needed regarding this issue. For peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, the Veteran claims it is related to his prostate cancer. A new opinion is also needed on whether it was proximately due to or the result of his service-connected prostate cancer.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a neck disability has been reopened, but the evidence does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.,The Veteran's allergic rhinitis is currently rated at 10 percent and there is no indication of nasal polyps. The current rating is appropriate given the severity of his symptoms.,The Veteran's eustachian tube dysfunction with ear infections and hearing loss has been rated as level I in both ears, resulting in a noncompensable disability rating.,The Veteran's pseudofolliculitis barbae does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating due to its limited extent of involvement on his body.,Service connection was granted for right hand arthritis and left hand arthritis, but neither condition has been rated as it is unclear if they are related to service.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities are all granted as secondary to his service-connected musculoskeletal impairments.

The Board has remanded the claims for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of bilateral upper extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran's representative argued that his PTSD may have caused or aggravated his hypertension, and a new VA examination is needed to address this claim. For the peripheral neuropathy claim, the Board requested an addendum opinion on whether it was related to service-connected diabetes.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a right eye disability, peripheral neuropathy of upper or lower extremities related to his service or a service-connected condition. The claim for these conditions is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, to include as due to herbicide exposure. The case is now pending with a request for a VA examination to assess continuity of symptomatology during service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for an extraschedular evaluation for his temporomandibular disorder and neuropathy, neck.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and bilateral upper extremity neuropathy have been granted. The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient evidence in some areas.

The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are granted as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.