Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2020

The Veteran's attorney is seeking payment of attorney fees from past-due benefits for service connection granted in April 2012. The appeal was remanded due to the lack of notification regarding the appellant's VA Form 9.

The Board has granted service connection for left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy as secondary to diabetes mellitus. The case of hypertension is remanded due to the need for an addendum opinion regarding presumed exposure to herbicide agents during active duty.

The Board denied service connection for type II diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, finding no evidence linking these conditions to service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and peripheral neuropathy due to environmental contaminants in the Gulf War. The appeal is being returned to the RO for consideration of new evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding service connection for peripheral neuropathy, Charcot foot and ulcers. The Veteran's lay statements and private clinicians' notations indicate a relationship between his conditions and exposure to herbicide agents (Agent Orange) and contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete records submission. The Veteran is required to provide all of her identified treatment records, including those from the Fairfax Health Center and other healthcare facilities.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertension, and peripheral neuropathy. The VA is instructed to obtain Social Security Administration records and provide an addendum medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran’s hypertension and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy.

The Board has remanded the issues of initial ratings for low back disability due to service connection, as it was not satisfied with the addendum opinion from a vocational expert.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the lumbar spine and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities. The appeal is remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions.,The Veteran's hearing loss disability ratings remain unchanged, with a zero percent rating prior to December 12, 2019 and a ten percent rating thereafter.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy and rheumatoid arthritis, finding that the evidence does not support a current diagnosis of these conditions or their relationship to active duty.

The appeal for TDIU is dismissed as the Veteran's ischemic heart disease already warrants a 100% schedular disability rating. The claims for PTSD, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities are remanded due to incomplete VA treatment records from February 2017 to August 2019. The SMC based on housebound and aid and attendance criteria are also remanded.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death. The Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal at this time.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple issues including CAD, PTSD, Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, and neurological disorders. The claims for increased ratings for CAD, PTSD, and Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma are remanded as they are inextricably intertwined with the issue of whether the reduction in the evaluation of CAD from 30 percent to 10 percent was proper. Additionally, service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities is also remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected left lower extremity and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy disabilities have resulted in a total disability rating, which qualifies him for specially adapted housing benefits.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for peripheral artery disease and remanded the claims of entitlement to a compensable rating for left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy and TDIU.

The Board denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy, claimed as numbness and tingling, of the right hand, left hand, right arm, left arm, right leg, left leg, right foot, and/or left foot.

The Board denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy, finding that the evidence did not establish a link between the condition and active service.

The Board has decided that a remand is necessary to ensure proper development of the Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the thoracolumbar and cervical spine with sensory neuropathy and radiculopathy, including as due to exposure to environmental hazards in the Gulf War.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy before the Board could make a decision.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for peripheral neuropathy, including his exposure to herbicide agents during service in Vietnam.