Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2021

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II is rated at 40% since May 8, 2019.,The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the lower left and right extremities are both rated at 40% since May 8, 2019.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected left and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy disabilities due to outstanding evidentiary development, including obtaining updated private treatment records from Baptist Health.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's diagnosed left ulnar neuropathy at the elbow and left labral tear, including SLAP, finding that these conditions are at least as likely as not related to his in-service injury.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including depression, lumbar spine disability, intervertebral osteochondrosis, C3-C4, C6-C7, bilateral hearing loss, parotid gland neoplasm, and peripheral neuropathy have been granted with effective dates of May 20, 2011.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for depression has also been granted with an effective date of January 30, 2009.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU from August 21, 2012 to November 13, 2014 due to service-connected Parkinson’s disease with right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy.

The Board denied service connection for a left eye disability, finding that the Veteran's preexisting eye condition did not worsen during service and was not related to any in-service injury or disease.,Service connection for a lumbar spine disability was also denied. The Board found no evidence of chronic low back symptoms in service, nor did they manifest within a presumptive period following separation from service. The Veteran's current diagnoses were noted more than a decade after his separation and do not show continuity of symptomatology since service.,The Board denied service connection for sciatic neuropathy of the right lower extremity, concluding that there was no evidence of chronic symptoms in service or within a presumptive period following separation from service. The Veteran's current diagnoses were noted more than a decade after his separation and do not show continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been dismissed as the issues are moot due to their favorable resolution in a prior rating decision.,The Veteran's skin disorder has been granted service connection, with the Board finding that his current condition is related to his inservice diagnosis of tinea cruris.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for axonal sensorimotor peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities due to new evidence submitted. The claims are remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right and left upper extremities and the left lower extremity was dismissed due to his death before a decision could be made.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II, with related complications and peripheral neuropathy, is rated at 20 percent. The Board denied a higher rating for the disability and also denied entitlement to TDIU due to lack of evidence showing unemployability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and diabetes mellitus. The claims for service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD), joint pain, gout, and corneal abrasion are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's neurological conditions, and whether they are related to service or a service-connected condition.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection and rating issues related to sleep disorder, peripheral neuropathy, tinnitus, and prostate cancer residuals due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeals.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings in excess of 10 percent for peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities has been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including limitation of flexion and instability, is rated at 10 percent. The Veteran also has separate ratings for focal neuropathy involving the common peroneal nerve (20 percent) and femoral nerve (20 percent).

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection of right lower extremity neurological disability, including peripheral neuropathy due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam. The VA medical opinion is inadequate and a new one must be obtained.

The Veteran's TDIU is granted with an effective date of November 26, 2012. The decision was based on the Veteran's service-connected bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy and diabetes preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's partial right knee replacement is currently rated at 10 percent prior to January 24, 2020 and 20 percent since that date. The Board finds the current ratings are appropriate.,For the period prior to January 24, 2020, the Veteran’s right knee was manifested by flexion to 130 degrees and extension to zero degrees with tenderness, swelling and pain; there was no evidence of recurrent subluxation, lateral instability, or dislocated semilunar cartilage. For the period since January 24, 2020, the Veteran’s right knee was manifested by flexion to 30 degrees and extension to zero degrees with tenderness, pain, swelling, weakness and fatigue; there was no evidence of recurrent subluxation, lateral instability, or dislocated semilunar cartilage.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy and hearing loss was granted with effective dates of July 16, 2012. The hearing loss claim is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine and peroneal neuropathy, right lower extremity. The Veteran's spine disability is found to be secondary to his service-connected right foot condition, while his nerve problem is linked to an in-service injury.