Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2022

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to clarify the Veteran's diagnoses and obtain an independent medical opinion regarding the etiology of his left leg disability, as well as its relationship to service-connected conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for left lower extremity peroneal nerve and tibial nerve peripheral neuropathy, finding that the conditions originated during active service due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has dismissed both appeals regarding service connection for right hand cramps and an increased rating for neuropathy of the right radial nerve as the Veteran wishes to withdraw her appeals.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right upper extremity neuropathy, finding that the Veteran's current diagnoses are related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. Service connection was also granted for a TBI, but the issue is remanded due to inadequate medical opinion.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy due to conflicting opinions on whether diabetes mellitus caused or aggravated these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for specially adapted housing and a special home adaptation grant due to incomplete information from VA examinations. The examiner is asked to provide detailed opinions on whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities result in loss of use of extremities, preclude locomotion without assistive devices, and affect balance and propulsion.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II, ischemic heart disease, and Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma are presumed to be related to his in-service exposure to herbicide agents.,The Veteran's right and left upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are found to be secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, diabetic neuropathy, and tinnitus, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted TDIU based on the evidence showing his unemployability due to these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including traumatic arthritis and back injury, prevented him from securing and following substantially gainful employment prior to May 8, 2019. The Board granted a TDIU rating on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy due to conceded herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment consistent with his educational and occupational background, resulting in a TDIU.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's bilateral upper and lower extremity neuropathy, finding that it is related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, coronary artery disease, and hypertension as the evidence did not establish that these conditions were incurred or caused by service.

The Veteran's diabetes was rated at 20 percent prior to December 1, 2014. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating due to lack of medical necessity for regulation of activities. For TDIU, the Veteran had multiple service-connected disabilities but his combined disability rating was never high enough to meet the criteria for schedular consideration.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes, lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and upper extremity peripheral neuropathy were denied due to lack of new and material evidence.,Service connection was denied for upper extremity peripheral neuropathy as there is no established in-service incurrence or a link between the condition and service.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical records and inadequate opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current eye conditions and service. The issue of an initial compensable rating for right eye hyperphoria is being returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral plantar fasciitis, left and right knee disabilities, and residual scar from inguinal hernia repair due to potential service connection issues.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to unsuccessful attempts by VA to obtain relevant records from the Veteran's SSA disability benefits file. The issues of entitlement to service connection for kidney disorder, peripheral neuropathy, erectile dysfunction, and COPD are being remanded for additional development.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II is rated at 20 percent, erectile dysfunction is not compensable, and the lower extremity peripheral neuropathies are each rated at 20 percent prior to February 14, 2022, and 40 percent since that date.