Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the claims for hypertension, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, and peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity due to new evidence submitted after the September 2009 rating decision. The PTSD claim remains in a denied status.

The Veteran's right lower extremity sciatic neuropathy is currently rated as 40 percent disabling. The Board has granted this rating.,For the left and right upper extremities, the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to insufficient evidence of current disabilities.

The Veteran is granted a certificate of eligibility for specially adapted housing due to his service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease and gunshot wound residuals. He is denied a special home adaptation grant as he meets the criteria for specially adapted housing.

The Board has granted service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus and prostate cancer due to herbicide exposure while serving at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand. The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, as well as erectile dysfunction, are also presumed to be related to his active duty service.

The Board has granted service connection for right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, bladder disability (urinary incontinence), and bowel disability (impairment of rectal sphincter control) due to aggravation by the Veteran's service-connected T-6 compression fracture with deformities and kyphosis.

The Veteran's service connection for thyroid cancer is granted. The claim for SMC based on housebound status is denied.

The Board has denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities, finding no evidence that these conditions are related to active service or herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to herbicide agent exposure for diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, and peripheral neuropathy of multiple extremities. The Veteran's ship deck logs need to be obtained to verify his exposure in Vietnam.

The Veteran's nephropathy with hypertension is granted a 100% disability rating effective August 31, 2016.,The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy of the femoral nerve and peripheral vascular disease of the bilateral lower extremities are each granted a 60% disability rating effective December 13, 2017.

The Veteran's hypertension, coronary artery disease (CAD), left and right lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy are all denied service connection. The CAD is rated at 30 percent prior to September 3, 2018, and 100 percent thereafter.

The Veteran's tinea cruris and intertrigo are not service-connected as they did not have their onset in service or due to herbicide exposure.,The Veteran's onychomycosis is not service-connected as it did not have its onset in service or due to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 20 percent for his service-connected diabetes, including any complications such as diabetic neuropathy, is being remanded due to the lack of consideration of two June 2019 VA examination reports.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus type 1 and all secondary conditions claimed as related to the Veteran's diabetes. The decision found insufficient evidence of herbicide exposure or a link between diabetes and Agent Orange.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to consider service department records that may indicate presumptive exposure to herbicides during service. The hypertension claim will be readjudicated based on whether the Veteran served within 12 nautical miles of Vietnam and if his disability is directly caused by such exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities as secondary to diabetes, diabetic cataracts as secondary to diabetes, kidney disease as secondary to diabetes, and erectile dysfunction as secondary to diabetes. The Board found that there was no evidence of in-service incurrence or relation to service.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD and peripheral neuropathy, finding that the claimed stressors were not verified and there was no medical evidence linking the conditions to service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, ischemic heart disease, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities due to herbicide exposure. The Veteran's conditions are presumed to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's left and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathies have been rated as noncompensable.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has not been evaluated.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's low back disability is secondary to his service-connected peripheral neuropathy.

The Board has determined that additional evidentiary development is necessary prior to the adjudication of the Veteran’s claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy in left and right upper extremities due to exposure to herbicide agents. The Veteran's claims are remanded for further review.