Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2020

The Veteran's appeals for various evaluations and effective dates related to peripheral neuropathy have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding which nerve or nerve group is causing the Veteran's abdominal pain, a residual of his in-service hernia repair.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient rationale in a previous VA examiner's opinion and potential bias. The Veteran’s bilateral upper extremity arthritis is being reviewed for service connection, along with carpal tunnel syndrome and right ulnar neuropathy/cubital tunnel syndrome.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities due to inadequate examination and reasoning.

The Veteran's NASH is granted as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.,A 40 percent rating for right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy is granted over the course of the appeal.,A 30 percent rating for left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy is granted over the course of the appeal.,A 40 percent rating for right lower extremity sciatica and a 40 percent rating for left lower extremity sciatica are granted over the course of the appeal.,Service connection for macular degeneration of the left eye, to include as secondary to diabetes mellitus, is remanded.,TDIU is remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including an unspecified depressive disorder, right and left lower extremity idiopathic neuropathy, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has denied claims for service connection for hypertension, gastrointestinal disorder (GERD), and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities. The Veteran's claim was not granted as there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his active service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to his claimed exposure to herbicide agents during service. The AOJ is instructed to verify the Veteran's in-service exposure and obtain a VA medical opinion regarding the relationship between his conditions and service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the left and right hands due to insufficient reasons provided in the previous decision. The Veteran's complaints of numbness, swelling, and tingling during service and post-service must be addressed in a new VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities as they are not related to service or a service-connected disability.

Service connection is granted for OSA as secondary to service-connected PTSD and MDD with an alcohol abuse disorder.,Service connection is granted for RLS as secondary to service-connected OSA.

The Board has granted service connection for right wrist osteoarthritis, right hand strain, and a right upper extremity neurological disability (carpal tunnel syndrome and ulnar neuropathy) as these conditions are proximately due to the Veteran's service-connected left wrist disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's ability to work due to his service-connected disabilities, specifically neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities. The Veteran is unable to engage in sedentary employment due to these conditions.

The Veteran's facial lesion is rated at 30 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The Board found that the evidence did not show scar with visible or palpable tissue loss and either gross distortion or asymmetry of two features or paired sets of features (nose, chin, forehead, eyes (including eyelids), ears (auricles), cheeks, lips) as required for a 50 percent rating.,The Veteran's service-connected disabilities include PTSD rated at 50%, Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy rated at 40%, and Facial Lesion rated at 30%. The combined evaluation is 90%.

The Board has remanded the case for a supplemental medical opinion regarding the Veteran's eye disorders, which were diagnosed during service and may be related to exposure to herbicide agents. The examiner is asked to provide additional rationale in support of their opinions.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70% since August 13, 2014. His peripheral neuropathy of bilateral lower extremities has not been found to be related to service or Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development to clarify whether the Veteran's diabetes may have aggravated his carpal tunnel syndrome or any other upper neurologic condition, and to determine if he has a diagnosis of neuropathy of the upper extremities related to his service-connected diabetes.

The appeal for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities was granted in a March 2020 Board decision and dismissed as there are no remaining questions to be decided.

The Veteran's right and left lower extremity diabetic neuropathy are currently rated at 20 percent each, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.,Effective September 15, 2017 to September 18, 2019, the Veteran was granted TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for tension headaches, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy of various extremities due to inadequate rationales in the previous VA examinations. The Veteran will need to undergo new VA examinations to determine the current severity of her tension headaches, etiology of her diabetes mellitus, and nature and etiology of any diagnosed peripheral neuropathies.