Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2021

The Veteran's service-connected sinusitis with headaches is granted for the period prior to November 17, 2020, but denied for the entire rating period on appeal. The Veteran's erectile dysfunction and scarring of the genitals are not service connected.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that it is not secondary to his service-connected PTSD, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy.

The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings of his service-connected peripheral neuropathy disabilities and for service connection for left eye anisometropic amblyopia have been dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his appeals.

The Board denied service connection for left and right lower extremity neuropathy, finding no evidence of onset during or within one year after service, and concluding that the Veteran's symptoms are more likely related to other causes such as diabetes.

The Veteran's service-connected left and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are rated at 20 percent each, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted due to the severity of his symptoms.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, headache disorder, sleep apnea and insomnia disorders, type II diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the lower and upper extremities, and ischemic heart disease have all been granted.

For the period prior to August 21, 2019, the Veteran's right and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 20 percent.,For the period prior to June 10, 2019, the Veteran’s nephrosclerosis with hypertension did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 60 percent. From June 10, 2019 onward, it did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 80 percent.

The Board denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between the conditions and active service or exposure to herbicide agents.

The Veteran's service-connected peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities and upper extremities have been rated based on their severity, with ratings ranging from 10 to 40 percent. The appeal for higher ratings has been denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to the inextricably intertwined nature of the service connection claims for diabetes mellitus and left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy. The claim for left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy will be reconsidered as secondary to diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's chronic renal disease with hypertension is rated at 30 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The Veteran also has service-connected diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy, but these do not warrant additional ratings as they are already accounted for in his current disability evaluation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left lower extremity neuropathy, including superficial peroneal neuropathy, is at least as likely as not related to his in-service gunshot wound and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a TDIU under VA regulations, as they do not combine to result in a combined rating of at least 70%.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient consideration of lay evidence regarding in-service cold injuries and their relation to current peripheral neuropathy.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including respiratory disabilities, skin disabilities, alopecia, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type II, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities and lower extremities, due to lack of credible evidence of in-service exposure to herbicide agents or other confirmed exposures. The preponderance of the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to service.

The Veteran's idiopathic peripheral neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities is granted as service connected due to exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam. The claim for tinnitus and PTSD remains pending.

The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity peripheral sensory polyneuropathy with restless leg syndrome is currently rated at 40 percent prior to August 1, 2019 and 60 percent from August 1, 2019. The Veteran's hypothyroidism is not service-connected.,The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity peripheral sensory polyneuropathy with restless leg syndrome was rated at 40 percent prior to August 1, 2019 and 60 percent from August 1, 2019. The Veteran's hypothyroidism is not service-connected.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right arm ulnar neuropathy, carpal tunnel, and scarring due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient clarification of the Veteran's diabetes mellitus and diabetic neuropathy, as well as a need for an addendum opinion regarding the relationship between his diabetes and neuropathy.

The Board has granted service connection for left lower extremity neuropathy, right lower extremity neuropathy, and reopened the claims for left hip pain and left ankle pain. The claim for right shoulder pain was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service.