Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2020

The appeal for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremity, hypokalemia, an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD), and hypertension is denied. The appeal for service connection for hypokalemia was dismissed due to withdrawal by the Veteran.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions are being remanded due to the need for additional development and clarification of his claims.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for peripheral neuropathy of both legs due to conflicting medical evidence and insufficient competent medical evidence.

The Veteran's appeal for a heart condition was dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal.,Service connection for cold injury residuals and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities were denied as there is no current diagnosis of these conditions.,Service connection for erectile dysfunction, depression, and prostate cancer were denied as there is no evidence of their onset during service or a link to service.,Service connection for hypertension was denied due to lack of evidence showing its onset during service.

The Board has granted service connection for various conditions, including unspecified anxiety disorder and peripheral neuropathy, related to the Veteran's military service.

The Board dismissed the appeal as the Veteran withdrew their claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities.

The Board has dismissed all claims related to service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and right ear hearing loss; individual unemployability (TDIU); increased evaluations for service-connected tinnitus; and earlier effective dates for the grant of service connection for residuals of a cyst (claimed as a cyst on the tail bone) and for tinnitus.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board grants a TDIU.

The Board denied the claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to insufficient evidence showing that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case for further proceedings, including obtaining new examinations to assess the current severity of the Veteran's lumbar spine myositis and associated neurologic complications, as well as determining whether he requires aid and attendance or suffers from loss of use of a creative organ.

The Board denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity and left upper extremity as due to diabetes mellitus, type II.,Effective September 16, 2010, the Veteran was granted a TDIU based on his service-connected PTSD.

The Board dismissed the appeal because the appellant died during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's neurological disorders of the right upper extremity (RUE) and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities (BLE) are granted as secondary to his service-connected diabetes.,The Veteran's prostate disorder is remanded for further examination.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, type II, bilateral upper and lower extremity neuropathy and radiculopathy due to lack of evidence showing onset during or within one year after active duty service.,Service connection was not granted as the Veteran's conditions are considered chronic diseases under 38 C.F.R. § 3.309(a), but there is no evidence of their manifestation within a year of separation from service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for neuropathy, skin disorder, and PTSD due to Agent Orange exposure and/or jungle rot.

The Veteran's appeal of the issue of service connection for bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy was dismissed. The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and hypertension were both denied, but his claim for service connection for hypertension was reopened due to new evidence received since the August 2011 rating decision.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depression is rated at 70 percent, but the claim for a higher rating remains pending.,Service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities is remanded to obtain additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's appeal includes claims for increased ratings for diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, and hearing loss. The Board has determined that additional VA examinations are needed to assess the current severity of these conditions throughout the appeal period. Service connection claims for a low back condition, neck condition, right knee condition, left knee condition, and hypertension have also been remanded.

The Veteran's appeal includes multiple issues related to his service-connected disabilities, including increased ratings for lower extremity peripheral neuropathy and service connection claims. The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed in some cases due to the complexity of the issues.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is denied as there is no evidence of a hearing loss disability within the definition of 38 C.F.R. § 3.385 during service or within one year after separation.,Service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right leg and left leg, to include as due to exposure to herbicidal agents, is denied because there is no evidence of early-onset peripheral neuropathy in service or within one year of last exposure to herbicides.,The Veteran's skin disability is remanded for a VA examination to determine if it had its onset during service and is related to herbicide exposure.