Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA examination and medical opinion regarding the Veteran's residuals of cold weather injury, including frostbite and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral feet/toes. The appellant is requested to provide all relevant medical records for review.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on all issues have been withdrawn. The Board has remanded the remaining claims of service connection for ischemic heart disease, necrotizing pancreatitis, diabetes mellitus type II, and diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II is granted as presumptively related to herbicide exposure in Thailand. His erectile dysfunction, peripheral neuropathy, fatty liver, hypertension, and left ventricular hypertrophy are all found to be secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a duty to assist error and potential herbicide agent exposure. The Veteran's in-service duties as a helicopter combat support member are being investigated, along with possible exposure to Vietnam.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for left-upper-extremity disorder, finding that it is not proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected right-wrist carpal tunnel syndrome.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted service connection. The claims for renal dysfunction, peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity, and peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU beginning June 23, 2019, due to his service-connected disabilities. The effective date is based on the last day of his substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service connection claims for HTN, ED, and eczema as secondary to DM or exposure to herbicides are remanded. The Veteran's service-connected DM is rated at 20 percent, PN of the left lower extremity prior to January 24, 2020, is rated at 10 percent, and PN of the right lower extremity from January 24, 2020, is rated at 20 percent. The Veteran's CAD is rated at 10 percent prior to January 10, 2019, and from March 1, 2019, to January 23, 2020. His BHL and nephropathy are not compensable.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted due to the combined effects of his service-connected disabilities. The claims for a chronic skin condition, diabetic retinopathy, coronary artery disease, and peripheral neuropathy are withdrawn.

The Veteran's initial evaluations for service-connected peripheral neuropathy of the right and left upper extremities were denied, with a remand ordered to reconsider these claims. The TDIU claim was also remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left lower extremity neuropathy, and anxiety due to a lack of current diagnoses of these conditions.

The Veteran's right and left upper extremity diabetic neuropathy have been rated at 10 percent each, effective February 27, 2017. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating for these conditions.,The Veteran's right lower extremity diabetic neuropathy has been rated at 20 percent, and his left lower extremity diabetic neuropathy has also been rated at 20 percent, effective February 27, 2017. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for diabetes mellitus, type II (DMII) was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not show that his DMII required regulation of activities to avoid complications. For the period prior to April 24, 2013, the Veteran's TDIU claim was also denied as there was no evidence showing he could not secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence and a need for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a neurological disorder of the right lower extremity, including peripheral neuropathy due to diabetes and/or herbicide exposure. The evidence did not show a current disability.

The Veteran's polyneuropathy of the left lower extremity has been rated at 40 percent since February 4, 2017. The disability is characterized by severe paresthesias and/or dysesthesias, and severe numbness, with moderately severe incomplete paralysis in the sciatic nerve.

The Board denied the Veteran's requests for earlier effective dates for service connection of left and right upper extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy, as well as for special monthly compensation based on housebound status. The decision found that no earlier effective date was warranted due to lack of formal claims or sufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors, including a lack of records search for Agent Orange exposure in Korea and SSA disability benefits records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to inadequate VA opinions regarding the etiology of his conditions. The issues are being remanded for further examination and opinion.