Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2021

The Veteran's service connection claims for neurological disabilities of the upper extremities, including as due to herbicide exposure and/or diabetes mellitus, type II, were denied. The Board found that there was no evidence of such conditions during service or related to service.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for myofascial pain of the paraspinal muscles of the neck is denied.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for peripheral neuropathy of left lower extremity associated with diabetes mellitus prior to May 10, 2011 is denied.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 40 percent for peripheral neuropathy of left lower extremity associated with diabetes mellitus is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of compliance with previous remand instructions regarding an addendum opinion on the etiology of the Veteran's right lower extremity neuropathy.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further evaluation of his bilateral hearing loss and neuropathy, upper and lower extremities. The Board finds that additional evidence is needed to determine the current severity of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for impaired fasting glucose, claimed as diabetes mellitus type II, and for a rating in excess of 30 percent for generalized anxiety disorder. The issues have been remanded due to inadequate examination reports and outstanding records.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus type II, atherosclerotic heart disease, bilateral loss of vision, a bilateral leg disability, neuropathy of the back, right shoulder disability, abdominal aneurysm, and kidney disease. The claims were based on direct evidence rather than any presumption or secondary relationship to service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need to determine if he was exposed to Agent Orange during his service in Vietnam, which could potentially establish presumptive service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy, rendered him in need of regular aid and attendance as of June 5, 2018. His effective date for SMC based on this condition is now confirmed.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for neuropathies of the upper and lower extremities, as well as arthritis, due to duty-to-assist errors. The Veteran should be provided with new VA examinations to determine if his conditions are secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine and/or cervical spine disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (diabetic neuropathy, bilateral lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy, and diabetes mellitus type II) render him unemployable due to physical limitations. The Board granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's death by suicide is being remanded for further review due to the need for a VA medical opinion regarding the cause of his death, including consideration of service-connected and non-service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded cases related to service connection for various conditions, including a heart condition, diabetes mellitus, neuropathy of the lower extremities, and retinopathy. The primary issue is whether the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during his naval service.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II and diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities are granted. The Veteran's ischemic heart disease claim is remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy due to inadequate examination and lack of a clear diagnosis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient opinions regarding the etiology of his bilateral lower extremity neuropathy, heart disease, and hypertension. The examiner is requested to provide an opinion as to whether it is at least as likely as not that these conditions are directly related to active military service or herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and readjudication due to the need to obtain Social Security Administration (SSA) records related to the Veteran's disability determination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities, kidney disease, and allergies due to exposure to herbicide agents. The Veteran is also dismissed from his appeals on separate compensable ratings for paranoia and insomnia, as well as a TDIU prior to August 18, 2016.

The Veteran's service connection claims for Type II diabetes mellitus, right and left lower extremity diabetic neuropathy, cataracts (right and left eyes), hypertension, respiratory disability, recurrent ear disabilities, and bilateral hearing loss are all granted due to herbicide agent exposure in Thailand. The appeals for a right eye disability, left eye disability, and service connection for recurrent ear disabilities are remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development related to his service-connected radiation proctitis, residuals of prostate cancer, and peripheral neuropathy.,His claims for increased ratings for coronary artery disease and a gastrointestinal disorder are denied.

The Board denied compensation under the provisions of 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy and denied service connection for a bilateral knee disability.