Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for TTP was denied prior to December 9, 2018. From December 9, 2018, a rating of 70 percent for TTP is granted. The service connection claims for hives and peripheral neuropathy were both denied.

The Veteran's service connection for diabetic sensory neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities has been granted with an effective date of February 19, 2014.,Service connection for a sleep disorder, to include sleep apnea, is denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities due to conflicting evidence. The Veteran's service-connected squamous cell carcinoma of the vocal cords/larynx is being considered as potentially aggravating his claimed neurological disabilities.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted effective from August 14, 2018, as he has been unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities since at least December 2008.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection of eye disability, fecal leakage, and ED have been dismissed. The appeals for peripheral neuropathy of the LUE and RUE, a rating in excess of 10 percent for CAD prior to June 29, 2018, and TDIU are being remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities have been reopened, but a rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD remains denied.,The Veteran’s TDIU claim has also been remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection has been remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions regarding his left foot conditions. The issues of peripheral neuropathy, left foot drop, and residuals of a bunionectomy are being addressed.

The Veteran's left upper extremity ulnar neuropathy and mononeuropathy multiplex have been granted an initial 30 percent rating, but no higher, for the entire period on appeal.

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings for peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities have been dismissed as he has withdrawn his appeal.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, type II; hypertension; erectile dysfunction (ED); peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities; and an acquired psychiatric disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and clarification of evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of his upper and lower extremities due to conflicting opinions regarding the etiology of his condition. The case is now pending for further examination and opinion.

The Board has found that additional development is necessary before these claims can be adjudicated on their respective merits, including the need for VA examinations and a determination of whether the Veteran meets the schedular or extraschedular criteria for TDIU.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The rating in excess of 20 percent for DJD of the thoracolumbar spine was denied, while service connection for PN of the bilateral upper and lower extremities and IBS were also denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability, peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, and peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity. The decision found no new and material evidence to reopen the claim for left knee disability, and concluded that there was not sufficient evidence to establish a nexus between the current disabilities and service.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased evaluation of PTSD was denied, as the evidence did not show occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.,The Veteran's appeal for TDIU was also denied, as his service-connected disabilities alone did not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, diabetes mellitus, type II, peripheral neuropathy of bilateral upper and lower extremities, right eye diabetic retinopathy, prostatitis with urethritis, bilateral hearing loss, tinea pedis with diabetic dermopathy, and tinea cruris has been granted. Effective dates have not yet been determined for these conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral upper and lower extremities peripheral neuropathy is denied as not related to herbicide exposure or service-connected heart disability.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions have worsened, and additional VA examinations are needed to determine the current level of disability for each condition. The issue of entitlement to an increased rating for SMC is also remanded.

Service connection is granted for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, right upper extremity, and left upper extremity.,Service connection is denied for ocular hypertension.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including prostate cancer, type II diabetes, PTSD, tinnitus, and diabetic neuropathy, have caused his erectile dysfunction. As a result, both the claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction and the SMC claim based on loss of use of a creative organ are granted.