Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2020

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's cold exposure in service caused or aggravated his current peripheral neuropathy of bilateral feet.

The Veteran's vision/eye disorder, including macular hole in the right eye, is not service-connected.,There is no evidence of peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities during or within one year after service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to exposure to herbicides, as his service was within the territorial waters of Vietnam.

The Board has found the evidence insufficient to determine if the Veteran's claimed conditions are related to his active duty service and is therefore remanding these issues for further examination.

The Veteran's TDIU appeal is dismissed as moot because he has a combined schedular 100 percent disability rating for his service-connected disabilities and SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s) is inapplicable.

The Veteran's service-connected type 2 diabetes mellitus caused peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, which is granted for accrued benefits purposes. The Veteran also had residuals of a left cerebrovascular accident that resulted in ataxia and vertigo attacks more than once per week, leading to a 100% disability rating for accrued benefits.

The Board found that the Veteran's current right elbow disability is not linked to a disease or injury incurred in service, specifically his 1979 injury during active duty for training. The claim was denied as there was no credible evidence of continuity of symptoms since the injury.

The Board has remanded three issues related to service connection for the Veteran's back disability and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities. The remand requests new VA examinations to address the etiology of these conditions, particularly in relation to parachute jumps during service and presumed herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and failure of the Veteran to report for a VA examination. The Veteran is required to be provided another VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed peripheral neuropathy disorder.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for left lower extremity with diabetic neuropathy is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and clarification of symptoms attributable to each nerve group.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to incomplete service records and need for further clarification regarding the etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD. The VA examiner will be asked to address whether any diagnosed conditions are related to active duty service.

The Board has granted service connection for peripheral neuropathy, finding that the Veteran's condition is related to his in-service exposure to Agent Orange. The claim was reopened due to new evidence submitted since the last denial.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various disabilities due to incomplete development. The Veteran's hypertension is rated at 10 percent, and no higher rating is warranted.

The Board has denied the reopening of multiple previously denied claims for service connection due to lack of new and material evidence. The Veteran's claims were not reopened as there was no evidence linking his current disabilities to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected disabilities were denied as the evidence did not show that any of these conditions warranted a rating greater than 30 percent.,Specifically, the VA examinations and medical records indicated that none of the Veteran’s conditions met or approximated the criteria for a higher rating.

The appeal seeking attorney fees based on past-due benefits awarded in a July 2019 rating decision is dismissed because the RO has already granted entitlement to attorney fees from those benefits.

The Board denied service connection for neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities and right lower extremity, as well as an increased rating for type II diabetes mellitus. The Veteran's neurological symptoms affecting his right lower extremity were found to be due to a non-service-connected lumbar spine condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including high cholesterol and its related conditions, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, aortic sclerosis, left lower extremity neuropathy, right lower extremity neuropathy, pulmonary granulomatous, bilateral pleural fibrosis, chronic right shoulder pain, upper extremity neuropathies, easy bruising, GERD, skin cancer, adrenal adenomas, colon polyps, enlarged prostate, and perforated tympanic membrane are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has determined that additional evidentiary development is necessary for the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for various conditions, including lower back condition, jaw condition, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, diabetic neuropathy, and infertility. The AOJ/RO must obtain VA treatment records from 1977 and 1978, as well as VA examination reports from February 1997, November 2007, and January 2008. They are also required to verify the Veteran's claimed exposure to herbicide agents in Okinawa.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy and remanded the issues of right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, initial compensable rating for left lower extremity meralgia paresthetica, increased rating for eustachian tube dysfunction, and TDIU.