Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient information regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during service. They need to determine if the U.S.S. Kitty Hawk was in additional areas as noted in the PACT Act, such as Thailand, Cambodia, Guam, American Samoa, and Johnston Atoll Island.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability, left leg radiculopathy, right leg radiculopathy, and left foot condition. Service connection was granted for post-traumatic head injury (to include neurocognitive disorder) and anxiety.,Service connection for chest pains was not established.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for separate and/or higher evaluations for post-operative residuals of left knee meniscectomy on an extraschedular basis, but has remanded the issue of entitlement to a total disability evaluation due to individual unemployability (TDIU) on an extraschedular basis prior to May 30, 2017. The Veteran's claim for TDIU is now referred to the Director of Compensation Service for consideration.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment since July 29, 2012. TDIU is granted effective that date.

The Veteran's asthma is found to be related to his service exposure to asbestos, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.,Service connection for the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity is denied as there is no evidence that it was incurred in or aggravated by his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable. The Board finds that a compensable rating is not warranted.,Service connection for neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities has been granted, with evidence linking it to in-service herbicide exposure.,New and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for pituitary adenoma. The Veteran's current vision loss in the right eye is being considered as secondary to his pituitary adenoma.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, finding that there was no evidence of herbicide exposure in Korea and that the conditions were not related to service.

The Board has dismissed all claims for service connection due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, heart disorder, and GERD due to potential issues with the opinions provided. The ED claim is also remanded as it is intertwined with the underlying conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy due to additional VA treatment records being added to the case file. The appellant's attorney declined initial RO review of these records, and an addendum medical opinion is required regarding whether his peripheral neuropathies are related to presumed herbicide exposure in service.

The Board has granted service connection for right lower extremity and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are due to his in-service exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for increased disability evaluations and effective dates related to his service-connected conditions, including diabetic peripheral neuropathy, diabetes mellitus, and nephropathy.

The Board denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right hand, left hand, right foot, and left foot, as well as Parkinson's disease. The Veteran did not have a current disability during the pendency of his claim period.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's neuropathy of both legs did not manifest in active service, was not aggravated by active service, and is not otherwise attributable to active service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for neuropathy of the left leg and right leg is denied.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for various types of peripheral neuropathy affecting different extremities due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology and relationship to service.

The Board has denied service connection for migraines and remanded the issue of service connection for a low back condition with neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities.

The Veteran's service-connected right and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathies are rated at 40 percent each, reflecting moderately severe incomplete paralysis of the sciatic nerve.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for diabetic peripheral neuropathy of his lower extremities due to missing non-VA treatment records and an inadequate VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sinus nasal passage issues was denied as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis related to any in-service injury or disease.,The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus with diabetic cataracts and erectile dysfunction was rated at 20 percent, which is the maximum rating available under Diagnostic Code 7913.

The Veteran's diabetes is currently rated at 20 percent, which requires one or more daily injection of insulin and restricted diet, or; oral hypoglycemic agent. The Board finds no evidence to support a higher rating as the Veteran's diabetes is controlled with oral medication.