Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2021

The Board has denied service connection for ischemic heart disease, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral legs and feet, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral hands and arms. The claim to reopen a previously denied claim for service connection for epididymitis was also denied.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to military service or exposure to Agent Orange.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is denied as he does not meet the criteria for a schedular or extra-schedular TDIU rating due to his service-connected disabilities alone.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the issues of appendix removal, gall bladder removal, vision disorder, body sweats, hearing loss, Meniere’s disease, tinnitus, colon cancer (also claimed as partial colon/intestinal removal), testicular cancer and removal, Barrett's esophagus, right foot peripheral neuropathy, left foot peripheral neuropathy, right hand peripheral neuropathy, left hand peripheral neuropathy, chronic fatigue syndrome, right knee disability, left knee disability, hepatitis C, malaise, neck surgery broken vertebra, sleep apnea, irritable bowel syndrome, subcutaneous cell carcinoma, and an acquired psychiatric disorder have been withdrawn. The remaining issues of service connection for hearing loss, Meniere’s disease, and tinnitus are REMANDED.

The Veteran's right upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy have been granted service connection, with the exception of left-sided peripheral neuropathy and right vocal cord paralysis which are remanded for further development.,Service connection has also been granted for right upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy due to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetes mellitus and prostate cancer, caused his death. The Board has determined that the Veteran was in need of regular aid and attendance due to these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to herbicide agent exposure or other contaminants, including for diabetes mellitus, type II; hypothyroidism; hypertension; lumbar spine disorder; diabetic retinopathy; peripheral neuropathy; glaucoma; and residuals of a myocardial infarction.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection for various knee, ankle, hip, and back disorders have been denied. The Board found no evidence of a current disability or in-service incurrence that would warrant the granted rating.

The Veteran's initial disability ratings for peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity and left upper extremity have been granted at 40% and 30%, respectively, subject to law and regulations governing payment of monetary benefits.,Initial disability ratings in excess of 20% for peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity and left lower extremity have not been granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities at least as likely as not result in him needing regular aid and attendance of another person, warranting entitlement to special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction on a secondary basis to his service-connected hypertension. The rating for coronary artery disease with coronary aneurysms remains at 30 percent, as it does not meet the criteria for higher ratings due to lack of congestive heart failure or left ventricular dysfunction.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the grant of a total disability rating based on unemployability (TDIU) as there is no evidence that the Veteran filed a formal or informal claim for TDIU benefits prior to September 17, 2012.

The Board has granted service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to in-service herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various peripheral neuropathies and hypertension due to incomplete development of evidence. The Veteran's right carpal tunnel syndrome, left carpal tunnel syndrome, left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are all being reviewed as direct service connection claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to obtain VA treatment records and for an addendum medical opinion regarding his sleep apnea. The TDIU claim will be considered again as part of the increased PTSD rating claim.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective dates are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of potential CUE in a prior rating decision.,The Veteran’s PTSD claim is also being remanded as there is contention regarding whether there was clear and unmistakable error (CUE) in a September 1983 rating decision.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral foot neuropathy disability, finding that the Veteran's current condition is not related to his military service and did not manifest during or within one year of discharge.

The Board has granted service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the Veteran's bilateral lower extremities as secondary to type II diabetes mellitus. The appeal regarding erectile dysfunction is remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the feet is found to be related to his in-service exposure to Agent Orange, and service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's mood disorder is rated at 70 percent since January 29, 2013. The Board also granted TDIU and SMC based on statutory housebound status effective June 9, 2014.