Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2021

The Board has granted service connection for right lower extremity and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy due to herbicide agent exposure in the Republic of Korea.

Your claims for service connection have been granted, but the appeals are dismissed as moot because the benefits requested have already been provided.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on aid and attendance is remanded due to the need for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination.

Your claims for service connection for right and left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy as secondary to diabetes mellitus have been dismissed because your appeal has been fully granted.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted as of September 12, 2018 due to his service-connected disabilities meeting the schedular criteria for a TDIU.

The Veteran's service connection claims for hypertension, left eye ischemic optic neuropathy, and peripheral vascular disease were denied. His PTSD with marijuana abuse and alcohol abuse in remission was granted a disability rating of 70 percent from September 12, 2019, to July 24, 2021. The remaining service connection claims for peripheral vascular disease and kidney dysfunction are pending.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for anxiety, peripheral neuropathy of bilateral lower extremities, and edema of bilateral lower extremities due to inappropriate prescribing and administering of testosterone injections.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective dates are being remanded due to the need for additional development.,These issues include evaluations for degenerative osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine, sciatic nerve radiculopathy, and femoral nerve peripheral neuropathy.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings were denied, and his disability rating for neuropathy of the right hand was reversed but not otherwise granted.

Service connection for left and right carpal tunnel syndrome has been granted.,The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a neck disorder and a back disorder due to potential service causation or aggravation.

Service connection is granted for diabetes mellitus, type II (diabetes), peripheral neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities, and sleep apnea.

The Board denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy, soft tissue sarcoma, skin disorder (chloracne), prostate cancer, thyroid disorder (hypothyroidism), testicular cancer, heart disorder (ischemic heart disease), and Parkinson's disease and/or Parkinsonism. The Board found no current disability in these conditions and concluded that the Veteran was not exposed to herbicide agents during his service on Guam.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, DM, PN in both lower and upper extremities, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted a TDIU based on these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for diabetes mellitus type II and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for diabetes mellitus, as it did not meet the criteria for a 60 percent or higher rating under Diagnostic Code 7913. For the peripheral neuropathy claims, the Board noted that the Veteran's symptoms had improved to warrant a 20 percent rating from July 30, 2019.

The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities has been granted increased ratings, while his lower extremity conditions have remained at initial non-compensable evaluations.

The Board dismissed the appeal of three increased rating claims for hypertension, left and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from obtaining and maintaining a substantially gainful occupation since March 14, 2018.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is rated at 40 percent, and the right and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy involving the femoral nerve are each rated at 20 percent. The effective dates for these ratings are January 24, 2019.

The Board has granted service connection for ischemic heart disease due to presumed herbicide agent exposure. The issues of service connection for bilateral upper and lower extremity neurological disability (idiopathic peripheral neuropathy) and recurrent sleep disability (obstructive sleep apnea) are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for CLL, peripheral neuropathy of the LLE, and peripheral neuropathy of the RLE due to a request for additional private treatment records.