Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claim to service connection for a right shoulder disability was granted.,Service connection for left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and left upper extremity nerve disability were denied.

The Veteran's DM required only restricted diet and an oral glycemic agent during the period on appeal.,The Veteran is in receipt of a 20 percent disability rating for his voiding dysfunction as a residual of his prostate cancer.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new and material evidence having been submitted in some cases, and additional VA treatment records have been added to his file. The Veteran will be provided a supplemental statement of the case if their benefits are not granted.

The Board denied service connection for type II diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, finding that there was no evidence of symptoms during or within one year after service.

The Board has granted service connection for depressive disorder as secondary to the Veteran's right knee disability.,Service connection for migraine headaches is also granted as secondary to the now service-connected depressive disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, type II and its secondary conditions due to insufficient evidence regarding his exposure within the 12-nautical-mile territorial sea of Vietnam. Additional development is needed to determine if he served in this area during the relevant time frame.

The Board has withdrawn the Veteran's appeals for certain claims and has remanded other claims due to new evidence or issues.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and retinal neuropathy as secondary to diabetes mellitus due to insufficient evidence regarding herbicide exposure in the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).

The Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic sinusitis, peripheral neuropathy of bilateral upper and lower extremities due to herbicide agent exposure (Agent Orange), were denied as there is no current diagnosis or evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied entitlement to an extraschedular evaluation for peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities, finding that the schedular criteria adequately described the Veteran's disability picture.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The skin disability claim was remanded.

The Veteran was granted service connection for DM, ischemic heart disease, hypertension, and peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity. The claim for an earlier effective date for DM was denied.,Service connection was established for ischemic heart disease, hypertension, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities due to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not render him unemployable, and the Board denied his claim for TDIU.

The Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for service-connected bilateral wrist peripheral neuropathies are remanded due to lack of substantial compliance with the December 2017 remand directives. A new VA examination is needed to address the clinical significance of prior examination reports.

The Board has reopened the previously denied claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, but remanded the claims for peripheral neuropathy, skin disorder(s), benign paroxysmal vertigo/Meniere’s disease, adrenal gland disorder, and sleep disturbance.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for emphysema, sleep apnea, neuropathy of the lower extremities, and pulmonary hypertension (secondary to a now service-connected heart condition). The Veteran needs VA examinations to determine if these conditions are related to his service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance of another or being housebound.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus type 2 substantially or materially contributed to his death, and thus grants service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death.

The Board has denied an earlier effective date for a 70% rating for PTSD, finding that the Veteran did not meet the schedular threshold for consideration of a TDIU at the time he filed his claim in March 2008. The Board also found it not factually ascertainable that his PTSD increased in severity so as to warrant a 70% rating within the year prior to the receipt of his March 17, 2008, claim.,The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right foot. The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy is not presumed related to herbicide exposure and there is no evidence of a continuity of symptomatology within one year of separation from service. However, the examiner should consider whether alcohol abuse may have contributed to the development of the condition.

The Veteran's clothing allowance claims for the 2014 and 2015 benefit years are remanded due to a recent award of service connection for lower extremity neuropathy. The AOJ must assign an effective date(s) for this condition before reconsidering the clothing allowance claims.