Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2019

The appellant's left lower extremity neuropathy with foot drop is rated at 80 percent, effective March 30, 2016. The appeal for specially adapted housing and TDIU prior to July 3, 2017, was granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of his bilateral lower extremities, as they are presumed to be due to exposure to herbicides. The Veteran will need a VA examination to determine the etiology of his condition.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, but the evidence does not support a higher rating.,The Veteran's IHD is currently rated at 30 percent, and there is no evidence to warrant an increase in this rating.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating on a schedular basis for tinnitus has been denied. The Board also remanded the claims regarding service connection for disability of the lumbar spine, peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, and diabetes mellitus, as well as the TDIU claim.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to unclear etiology of the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy, bilateral lower extremities. The Veteran needs a VA examination to determine if his service is related to his condition.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including a reduction in rating for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and ratings for peripheral neuropathy of various extremities. The TDIU claim is also being remanded.

The Board denied service connection for right ear hearing loss, right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for PTSD was also denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Lyme disease is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability during the appeal period.,Service connection for Graves’ disease or thyroid disability is denied due to lack of in-service diagnosis and no evidence linking it to service.,The Veteran’s bilateral hearing loss has been rated at 0% since August 26, 2014. The claim for a higher rating is remanded as there is no new evidence of worsening since the last examination.,The effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD remains December 5, 2013 due to lack of earlier entitlement.,Service connection for hypertension secondary to PTSD and tinnitus is remanded as a medical opinion is needed to determine if it began in service or is related to these conditions.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for type 2 diabetes is remanded as a medical opinion is needed to determine the nature of his condition.,Service connection for left lower extremity neuropathy secondary to type 2 diabetes is remanded due to the need for a medical opinion on the relationship between the conditions.,Service connection for right lower extremity neuropathy secondary to type 2 diabetes is also remanded for similar reasons.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for soft tissue sarcoma, to include as due to herbicide exposure is dismissed.,Service connection granted for bilateral tinnitus. The Board finds that the evidence is in relative equipoise regarding whether the Veteran’s bilateral tinnitus is related to service.,Service connection denied for neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities. The Board found that the condition did not have its onset during service and is not otherwise related to service, including alleged herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The decision did not address the issue of effective dates.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain an addendum opinion from the May 2019 VA examiner regarding the etiology of the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy, specifically whether it is at least as likely as not aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's initial disability rating for hypothyroidism has been granted at a 30 percent level, effective February 1, 2012. The Veteran's diabetes mellitus and bilateral upper extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy have not met the criteria for higher ratings.

The Board has remanded the cases due to the need for a VA examination and opinion regarding the severity of the Veteran's residuals of fracture of the left 5th digit, as well as whether his claimed conditions are related to military service.

The Board's decision is vacated in part, allowing the Veteran to request a hearing for issues related to diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the hands, peripheral neuropathy of the feet, erectile dysfunction, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings and TDIU are remanded due to a pre-decisional error in obtaining private medical records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type 2 and its associated peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities have been granted. The decision is based on presumed exposure to herbicides during his service in Thailand.

The Veteran's service connection claims for coronary artery disease, type two diabetes mellitus, and associated peripheral neuropathies have been granted. The claim for an acquired psychiatric condition has been denied.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD. Service connection was granted for diabetes mellitus, type II and its associated diabetic peripheral neuropathy of both upper and lower extremities due to inservice herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for diabetes mellitus type II, peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, and peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess the current severity of his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection on all five issues, including respiratory disorder, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and tinnitus.