Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2022

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy (radiculopathy) were denied. The evidence did not support the assignment of higher ratings.

The Veteran's diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities is currently rated at 10 percent, but does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as it causes no more than mild incomplete paralysis of the anterior crural (femoral) nerve.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The Veteran's OSA is related to service, neuropathy of the upper extremities and back disability are being examined again, and a full accounting of his treatment records from Landstuhl Army Hospital in Germany must be obtained.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient compliance with previous remand directives and conflicting evidence regarding the Veteran's lower left leg disability. The examiner is required to provide an addendum opinion addressing the onset, etiology, and relationship of the Veteran's disabilities.

The Board has denied service connection for a respiratory disability, obstructive sleep apnea, left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy due to herbicide agent exposure. The Veteran's back disability is also remanded.,Service connection was not granted for derma fibrosarcoma as it is considered unrelated to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type 1, neuropathy, and bilateral eye disability due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 50 percent for dysthymia with history of mood incongruent psychotic features was denied as there is no causal relationship between his service-connected condition and the claimed disabilities. The TDIU claim was also denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for CIDP, GERD, PTSD, a dental disability, and a skin disability are being remanded due to the submission of new evidence. The claim for service connection for GERD is reopened, but the claims for CIDP, PTSD, a dental disability, and a skin disability remain denied.

The Board denied service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, diabetic neuropathy of the lower extremities, PVD, ulcers, and hypertension as they are not related to service or herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the cases for further examination and readjudication due to issues with the previous examinations and new evidence presented by the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to additional relevant evidence being added to the record.

The Veteran was granted SMC at the rate provided by 38 U.S.C. § 1114(r)(1) as of February 24, 2009, based on his need for regular aid and attendance due to service-connected bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and a new examination is needed to determine the nature and severity of the Veteran's ulnar neuropathy.

The Board denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, including due to exposure to herbicides, as there is no evidence that it was incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding exposure to herbicide agents and ionizing radiation, as well as an inadequate medical opinion on whether any current liver disability is related to service. The VA will need to obtain additional treatment records, verify claimed exposures, and provide a new medical opinion.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied for various conditions, including PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD (including dementia), diabetes mellitus type II, prostate cancer, hypertension, a heart disorder (coronary artery disease, status post stent placement), a circulatory disorder, bilateral eye disorders (right eye blindness, double vision in the left eye, cataracts), lumbar spine disorder, cervical spine disorder, right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, peripheral neuropathy of each extremity, radiculopathy of each extremity, and myelomalacia. The Board found that there was no evidence to support these claims.,The Veteran's service connection claims were denied for PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD (including dementia), diabetes mellitus type II, prostate cancer, hypertension, a heart disorder (coronary artery disease, status post stent placement), a circulatory disorder, bilateral eye disorders (right eye blindness, double vision in the left eye, cataracts), lumbar spine disorder, cervical spine disorder, right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, peripheral neuropathy of each extremity, radiculopathy of each extremity, and myelomalacia.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy and its relationship to his service-connected disabilities.

The claims for service connection for right and left upper extremity neuropathy are denied. The claim of service connection for a back disability as secondary to service-connected knee disabilities is remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral hand condition and heart condition, finding that there was no causal relationship between his conditions and his in-service exposure to herbicide agents or service-connected dermatitis.

The Veteran's claim for COPD and restrictive lung disease is being remanded due to incomplete development. The issue of service connection for chronic cough will also be remanded as the VA medical records related to this condition are not in the claims file.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is denied as there is no evidence of an in-service event, injury or disease and the weight of the evidence is against a finding that his current condition is related to service.,The Veteran's low back condition, heart condition, diabetes mellitus, bilateral lower extremity diabetic neuropathy, and acquired psychiatric disorder (major depressive disorder) are remanded as there is insufficient evidence regarding their etiology.