Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2020

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain VA treatment records and to provide the Veteran with appropriate examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's right knee strain is rated at 10% and a separate rating for painful flexion of the right knee is granted effective December 6, 2010.,Service connection for bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy and sleep apnea are both remanded.

The Board has remanded several claims related to peripheral neuropathy of the Veteran's upper and lower extremities, including for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected conditions.

The Board found the December 2016 Notice of Disagreement was timely received, and granted service connection for peripheral neuropathy, left and right lower extremity with an evaluation of 10 percent effective August 5, 2015. The appeal is also granted for individual employability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and psychiatric disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to unclear employment status and incomplete functional impact assessments of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities. The AOJ is instructed to complete additional development, including determining work history and income during the appeal period, obtaining opinions on the functional impact of the Veteran's disabilities, and scheduling the Veteran for examinations.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, a lumbar spine disability, bilateral eye disability (including glaucoma and cortical cataracts), right ear hearing loss disability, peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity, and psychiatric disorder (PTSD).,For hypertension, the Board found that there was no evidence of a nexus between service and current hypertension.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a peripheral nerve condition of the left arm, finding that there was no current diagnosis and insufficient evidence to establish a link between his in-service electric shock injury and any present symptoms.

The Board denied service connection for left and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy due to Agent Orange exposure, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Veteran was granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) as of August 22, 2018 due to his service-connected coronary artery disease. Prior to this date, the TDIU claim was denied.

The Board has remanded several service connection claims due to the need for additional medical clarification and examination. The Veteran's PTSD claim is remanded because of conflicting evidence regarding his reported stressors. His hypertension, hearing loss, peripheral neuropathy, sleep apnea, and GERD claims are also remanded as there are insufficient post-service records or medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected disabilities, including peripheral neuropathy and hearing loss, as well as a TDIU prior to February 18, 2014, are being remanded.,Service connection claims for sinus disorder and headaches secondary to diabetes mellitus are also being remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding his exposure to chemicals and stressors during service. The Veteran is also required to undergo examinations for his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for diabetes and diabetic neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities have been dismissed.,New evidence has reopened the claim of service connection for a right shoulder disorder, which is now remanded for further review.

The Board has remanded the claims for a higher rating for diabetes mellitus and service connection for bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy and anxiety due to pending development of the claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection and compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151, finding that there was no new and material evidence to reopen his claim for a bilateral foot condition, and that his peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities and erectile dysfunction were not related to his service-connected conditions or VA treatment. The Board also denied compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for left-eye disability due to complications during a June 2011 cataract surgery.

The Board has remanded the cases for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's current symptoms of frostbite, Raynaud’s disease, and neuropathy are related to his in-service exposure to cold weather while stationed at Fort Wainwright, Alaska.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right-knee orthopedic disability and neuropathy are remanded due to the need for clarification of symptoms attributed to these conditions.

The Veteran's glaucoma and Parkinson's disease are denied as they did not have their onset during active service or are otherwise unrelated to active service.,The Veteran's right upper extremity, left upper extremity, left lower extremity, and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are denied as they did not have their onset during active service or are otherwise unrelated to active service.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for SMC based on aid and attendance status was denied as there is no evidence of a prior claim.,The Veteran's appeal for increased SMC due to loss of use of bilateral hands was also denied, as the evidence did not show that his upper extremities were so diminished as to require amputation with prosthetic.