Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2019

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is rated at 20 percent, but the Board denied an increased rating. The TDIU claim was also denied as his service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy. The Veteran did not provide new and material evidence to reopen the claim of service connection for hypertension.

The Veteran's lumbar and cervical spine disabilities have been granted service connection.,Service connection for the gastrointestinal condition, hypertension, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities is being remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased disability rating for non-hodgkin’s lymphoma was withdrawn. The Board granted a TDIU based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, as he is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his multiple conditions.

The Veteran's disability ratings for Peripheral Neuropathy of the Left and Right Lower Extremities have been restored to 40 percent effective December 1, 2016. The rating for Peripheral Neuropathy of the Left Upper Extremity remains at 20 percent.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of his bilateral upper and lower extremities due to in-service exposure to herbicide agents (Agent Orange). The case will be returned for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the establishment of service connection for left lumbosacral radiculopathy and lower extremity sensory polyneuropathy, right lower extremity sensory polyneuropathy, left internal saphenous nerve, and right internal saphenous nerve. The effective date was assigned as March 21, 2017.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development, including service connection for various conditions and exposure to noise. The Veteran's claims for PTSD are also being remanded.

The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is granted on a presumptive basis due to active service in the Persian Gulf. The Veteran's PTSD is not rated higher than 70 percent, and TDIU is granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various disabilities, including hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as other conditions such as low back disability, hip, ankle, knee, foot disabilities, cardiovascular disease, dyslipidemia, hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus, diabetic neuropathy, and an acquired psychiatric condition. The remand requires obtaining VA treatment records, conducting examinations to determine the etiology of these conditions, and providing opinions on their relationship to service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for coronary artery disease is denied as his symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for coronary artery disease is denied as it was received within one year of separation from service.

The Board denied service connection for bronchitis, finding that the Veteran's respiratory symptoms did not begin during service or are otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.,The Board also denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy, finding that there is no evidence of a causal link between the Veteran's current diagnosis and active service.

Your appeals regarding service connection for various conditions have been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for a nervous condition (schizophrenia) and is remanding the case to determine if the appellant's schizophrenia was aggravated by his ACDUTRA service. The issue of service connection for peripheral neuropathy, which the appellant contends is related to his schizophrenia, is also being remanded.

The Veteran's cause of death is not related to service-connected conditions, and his COPD was not linked to in-service asbestos exposure. Service connection for the cause of death based on service-connected CAD and non-service-connected COPD and peripheral neuropathy is denied.

The Veteran's gout and shortness of breath are not service-connected.,The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of dizziness, sweating or light-headedness.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss disability is of service origin and grants entitlement to service connection for this condition. The remaining issues are remanded due to inadequate medical opinions in previous examinations.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to determine if the Veteran's erectile dysfunction and bilateral upper extremity neuropathy are secondary to his service-connected diabetes.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities as secondary to diabetes mellitus, finding no current diagnosis or causal relationship.