Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II (DMII) and bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy due to incomplete development of evidence regarding exposure to hazardous substances during service.

The Veteran's claim for restoration of a 20 percent rating for peripheral neuropathy of the RLE is granted, effective January 4, 2020.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating of 20 percent for peripheral neuropathy of the LLE is granted.

The Board denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral hands, finding no evidence of exposure to Agent Orange during service and insufficient continuity of symptomatology post-service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various disabilities were granted, but an effective date earlier than January 13, 2017 is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various bilateral foot disabilities due to incomplete examination and opinion, failure to address relevant lay evidence, and lack of adequate consideration of all claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right leg neuropathy due to potential exposure to herbicide agents in Thailand. The Veteran contends his conditions are related to his active duty service, including exposure to chemicals.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, hypertension, and low testosterone as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II. The Veteran's exposure to various chemical or biological agents was not established.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including service connection for various disabilities such as respiratory/pulmonary disability, heart disability (coronary artery disease), hypertension, circulatory disability, skin condition (solar lentigo), sleep apnea, allergies, general arthralgia, right eye disability, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The issues have been remanded due to inadequate record and need for additional development.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, bilateral hearing loss, and service connection for right eye condition have been dismissed. The claim for an increased rating for PTSD has been remanded.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for left foot peripheral neuropathy, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to his in-service herbicide agent exposure during combat service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable rating as his pure tone thresholds do not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.,The Veteran's left foot laceration status post artery repair with residuals is rated at 10 percent, which is the maximum available under DC 5284. The Board finds no basis to assign a higher rating based on the evidence of record.,The Veteran's left foot neuropathy disability warrants a separate 20 percent rating as it manifests as incomplete moderate paralysis of the left lower extremity.,The Veteran's left foot scar disability is rated at noncompensable, but the Board finds that one or two scars are painful and warrant a 10 percent evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to April 10, 2018, for the award of special monthly compensation (SMC) based on need for regular aid and attendance was denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not file a formal or informal claim for SMC before April 20, 2018, and that it was not factually ascertainable he needed regular aid and attendance within one year prior to his claim.

The Veteran's son is not eligible for benefits due to spina bifida or other birth defects because the mother was not a Vietnam veteran, and there are no service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral lower extremity disability, including neuropathy, finding that there was no evidence to support her contention of in-service exposure and that her current condition is more likely due to her body habitus rather than military service.

The Board has denied service connection for a low back disorder due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service or any service-connected disability. The case is remanded for further development regarding hypertension and leg disorders.,Service connection for hypertension cannot be established as there is no medical opinion linking it to herbicide exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical spine and low back disabilities, as well as peripheral neuropathy of the left and right upper extremities. Service connection is also granted for an acquired psychiatric condition (including PTSD and MDD).,Service connection was denied for sleep apnea due to a lack of evidence linking it to the Veteran's service-connected musculoskeletal disabilities.

The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity sciatic and femoral peripheral neuropathy disabilities are rated at the lowest possible level (10%) for mild incomplete paralysis, and higher ratings are not warranted.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete medical records and need for additional opinions regarding the cause of death, ischemic heart disease, peripheral neuropathy, gall bladder cancer, and any acquired psychiatric disorders.

The Board has found that the Veteran's bilateral upper and lower extremity neuropathy is not related to his active duty service, but specifically requested an addendum VA medical opinion to address this issue.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding his exposure to herbicide agents and the relationship between his claimed conditions and military service.