Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2022

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining additional medical opinions and private treatment records. The issues of increased rating for right hand strain, secondary service connection for a right upper extremity disability, and TDIU are also being remanded.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals, and the Board dismissed all remaining issues.

The Veteran's RLE and LLE PN of the external popliteal nerves are granted with a 20% disability rating effective May 16, 2014. The Veteran's RLE and LLE PN of the anterior crural nerves do not warrant an increased disability rating.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete VA examination reports and the need for an addendum opinion addressing all diagnosed neurological disorders in the upper and lower extremities.

The Veteran's kidney disability, including chronic renal disease and the need for a kidney transplant, is presumed to be due to his service in Vietnam and exposure to herbicide agents (Agent Orange).,His early-onset peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, as well as squamous cell carcinoma of the left lateral forehead, left hand, and left ear and external auricular canal, are also presumed to be related to his service and Agent Orange exposure.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus and related peripheral neuropathy are granted as presumptively caused by his service in the Republic of Vietnam, where he was exposed to herbicide agents.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and increased evaluations are being remanded due to the need for additional development.,The Veteran is seeking an earlier effective date for his service connection for bilateral upper and lower neuropathies and right foot gout, but the Board finds that no such effective date can be assigned.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral lower extremity polyneuropathy, finding that it is secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus II.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and diabetes mellitus, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment since December 11, 2008. The Board has granted a TDIU effective from that date.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for diabetes mellitus, type II, with erectile dysfunction was denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not require regulation of activities to control his diabetes and thus could not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating under DC 7913. The Veteran's claim for TDIU was granted as he is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for heart disorder, peripheral neuropathy of upper and lower extremities, and kidney disorder due to service connection issues.,The Board has also remanded the Veteran's claims for heart disorder, peripheral neuropathy of upper and lower extremities, and kidney disorder due to service connection issues.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for PTSD and service connection for various other conditions has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity peroneal and tibial nerves due to insufficient medical opinions addressing the secondary theory of service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the cause of death and whether service-connected conditions contributed or aggravated the Veteran's death. The appellant seeks service connection for the cause of her husband's death, which was attributed to coronary atherosclerosis.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, with the exception of his claim for hypertension and erectile dysfunction. The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an examination and provide opinions regarding these conditions.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted service connection based on presumed exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam. Service connection for psoriasis, cervical spine disability, and peripheral neuropathies of the upper and lower extremities are also granted as secondary to herbicide exposure.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for mild chondromalacia of the right hip joint and small hip effusion with trochanteric pain syndrome and multifocal acquired axonal neuropathy, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether these disabilities began during active service.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus II is rated at 20 percent, and the effective date for left upper extremity diabetic neuropathy has been granted as February 26, 2020.,PTSD remains rated at 50 percent.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his peripheral neuropathies of the upper and lower extremities, finding that there is no evidence to suggest the disabilities manifest as severe incomplete paralysis of the nerves involved.

The Board has denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, headaches, and blurred vision as these conditions are not shown to have been incurred or aggravated by active military service.