Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2022

The Veteran's claimed psychiatric conditions, kidney disability, tinnitus, hypertension, diverticulitis, bronchitis, asthma, glaucoma, diabetes mellitus type II (DMII), peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, and Alzheimer's disease are not service-connected.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, diabetes, and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy due to service-connected coronary artery disease. The decision also found that new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim for hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for right and left lower extremity neuropathy, as well as right and left upper extremity CTS have been denied.,A TDIU was granted effective November 6, 2017.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate medical opinions and new evidence is needed. The Veteran's right hip disorder and right lower extremity numbness are being reviewed, as well as his lip/facial cancer residuals.

The Veteran's disability ratings for right upper and left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, as well as his left lower and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, were upheld. A new rating of 20 percent was granted for PTSD.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of his upper and lower extremities, to include as due to herbicide exposure. The VA is instructed to obtain additional medical opinions addressing whether the Veteran's disabilities are related to his military service, including herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy, right and left lower extremities due to herbicide exposure as they are related to his in-service exposure near the DMZ. A VA examination is needed to determine if the diagnosed conditions are at least as likely as not related to the conceded herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy, as the previous opinion was inadequate.

The Board denied the Veteran's requests for earlier effective dates for various service connection claims, including tinnitus, hearing loss, DMII, a lumbar sprain, left femur fracture, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities (sciatic and femoral nerves), and peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity femoral nerve. The Board found that the earliest possible effective dates were May 7, 2013, when the Veteran filed his claims for service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy due to lack of substantial compliance with prior remand directives.

The Board denied service connection for a heart disorder, prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus type II, left lower extremity neuropathy, right lower extremity neuropathy, and tinnitus as there was no evidence of in-service incurrence or chronicity.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for a 40 percent rating for right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, finding that the earliest evidence of worsening was in February 2020.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for peripheral neuropathy of all extremities due to a failure to obtain pertinent VA treatment records and an adequate medical opinion.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for neuropathy of the right lower extremity, left lower extremity, right upper extremity, and left upper extremity have been granted as manifestations of Parkinson's disease due to Agent Orange exposure.,Service connection has been established for the Veteran's neuropathies of the bilateral upper and lower extremities as a result of his service-connected Parkinson's disease.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, Parkinson's disease with balance impairment, right and left upper extremity rigidity, tremors, and bradykinesia associated with Parkinson's disease, speech changes, stooped posture, partial loss of smell, difficulty of chewing, constipation, and SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance have all been denied.,The Veteran's service connection claims for unspecified depressive disorder with major neurocognitive disorder associated with Parkinson's disease and right side loss of automatic movements associated with Parkinson's disease have not met the criteria for an earlier effective date.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy, specifically related to exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam.

The Veteran's increased ratings for cervical spine degenerative joint disease, thoracolumbar spine degenerative joint disease, and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity with demyelinating polyneuropathy are denied. A TDIU is granted for the period from February 7, 2018, to February 6, 2022, but dismissed for the period thereafter.

The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is rated at 20% prior to March 17, 2022 and at 40% as of that date. The Veteran also received a grant for TDIU based on his single disability (diabetes mellitus with peripheral neuropathy).

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus due to presumed exposure to Agent Orange. However, the claim for secondary service connection for peripheral neuropathy of bilateral lower extremities is remanded as VA needs to schedule a VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, claudication, neuropathy of the lower extremities, and erectile dysfunction as they are not related to service or herbicide exposure.