Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, type II, left eye cataract, heart disorder, peripheral vascular disease (including decreased circulation and left leg splint and shunt in left groin), right hand disability (including carpal tunnel syndrome and neuropathy), and left hand disability (including neuropathy) due to the need for additional opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions. The presumptive exposure basis is based on service in the Southwest Asia Theater of Operations, which applies to Persian Gulf veterans.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy, specifically whether it is related to herbicide exposure during service.

The Veteran's appeals for various service-connected conditions have been dismissed due to their death.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and TDIU have been dismissed as he has withdrawn his appeal.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disorder, COPD, and neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities as secondary to his service-connected PTSD.,The Board also remanded several other issues including increased ratings for ankle disabilities and entitlement to TDIU.

The Board has dismissed appeals seeking increased ratings for right lower extremity sciatic neuropathy with degenerative disc disease and residuals of a gunshot wound to the left foot.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including bilateral eye disability, headaches, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and chloracne. The decision also noted that an effective date earlier than March 24, 2017, for tinnitus was denied.

The Board denied service connection for left upper extremity and right upper extremity neuropathy as there is no evidence of current disability or a relationship to military service.

The Board granted a rating of 40 percent for peripheral neuropathy (sciatic nerve) of the right lower extremity and a rating of 20 percent for peripheral neuropathy (sciatic nerve) of the left lower extremity. The ratings were denied for peripheral neuropathy (femoral nerve) of the right and left lower extremities.

The Board has remanded the reduction in disability rating from 100 percent to 40 percent for residuals of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and the entitlement to a total disability based on unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities. The Veteran is also required to provide VA with any outstanding medical records, including those from Dr. Yelameli at the Nashville Pain Clinic.

The Veteran's larynx cancer was restored to a 100% disability rating from July 1, 2014, to July 15, 2017.,PTSD was granted an increased rating of 100% from September 10, 2012, to July 15, 2017.,Statutory housebound special monthly compensation was granted from July 1, 2014, to July 15, 2017.,New and material evidence has been received to reopen service connection claims for bilateral upper extremity neuropathy and bilateral lower extremity neuropathy.,The issue of aid and attendance special monthly compensation is also being remanded.

The Board denied the Appellant's claims for special monthly pension based on need for regular aid and attendance, as well as survivors' pension due to countable income exceeding maximum annual pension rates. The appeals were remanded multiple times but no additional evidence was provided.

A rating of 30 percent for left upper extremity (LUE) peripheral neuropathy prior to April 30, 2019 is granted.,A total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) is granted, effective November 4, 2009.

The Board dismissed the claims for increased ratings for left and right lower extremity neuropathy as moot due to a full grant of benefits in the form of a 100 percent rating for service-connected non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and a rating increase for PTSD, as well as his claim for TDIU have been dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing from appeal.

Service connection for type 2 diabetes, as secondary to an in-service exposure to Agent Orange, has been granted.,Service connection for RLE peripheral neuropathy and LLE peripheral neuropathy, both considered secondary to service-connected type 2 diabetes, have also been granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, and evaluations in excess of the current ratings for his back disorder, neuropathy of the lower extremities, and neuropathy of the upper extremities have all been denied. The Board found that there was no evidence linking the Veteran's current sleep apnea to his military service or a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's service-connected dense right median sensory neuropathy, residual weakness right hand flexors is being remanded for a new examination to assess the current severity of his disability.

The case is remanded due to the addition of relevant evidence not considered in the January 2020 statement of the case. The Veteran's bilateral neuropathy worsened, and he reported falling multiple times.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including sleep apnea, vascular and/or lymphatic diseases of the lower extremities, hypertension, hypertensive heart disease, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, and major depressive disorder. The issues include determining whether these conditions are secondary to other service-connected disabilities or otherwise etiologically related to service.