Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2023

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, eye disability, peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity, and peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity as there was no current VA examination due to the Veteran's failure to report for necessary examinations.

The Veteran's left wrist disability, including loss of use due to ankylosis and a ganglion cyst, is rated at 60 percent from March 26, 2019. The scar issue remains denied.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, erectile dysfunction (claimed as impotence), and peripheral neuropathy in the upper and lower extremities due to a lack of evidence showing chronic symptoms during service or continuity of symptomatology after separation from active duty. The Veteran's claims were also not supported by medical opinions linking these conditions to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient opinions regarding the appellant's claimed conditions and exposure. The issues of diabetes mellitus, back disability, peripheral neuropathy, erectile dysfunction, and eye disability are all related and require further examination.

The Veteran's death benefits are being reviewed, including the disbursement of compensation owed at his time of death and a higher level of DIC benefits. The VA is required to conduct an audit of all funds due and paid to the Veteran and his fiduciary from January 2014 onwards. The appellant's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection are also being considered.

The Board denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, finding that it was not incurred in service or due to exposure to herbicides.

The Board has remanded the claims for sleep apnea, muscle pain disability, and gastrointestinal disability due to presumed exposure at a burn pit during service. The Veteran's symptoms are related to his active duty service.

The Veteran withdrew her appeals for increased ratings and service connection, citing satisfaction with the current decisions.

The Board denied the Veteran's petitions to reopen his claims for service connection for bilateral upper and lower extremities peripheral neuropathy as new and material evidence was not received.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the severity and functional impact of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his L4 nerve root injuries and left elbow neuropathy. The Veteran needs a new examination to determine these impacts.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability and cervical radiculopathy (claimed as peripheral neuropathy of the hands), including as due to Agent Orange exposure, finding that there is no persuasive evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board dismissed all claims related to the Veteran's upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, lower extremity PN of the sciatic and femoral nerves, chronic renal disease, and diabetic retinopathy. The Veteran withdrew his appeals for these issues during a hearing before the Board.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to exposure to herbicide agents and as secondary to service-connected disabilities, including his right foot disability. Additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran's upper extremity neuropathy, shoulder disorders, and wrist disorders are related to his in-service exposure or service-connected conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, finding that there is no evidence linking his current disabilities to his military service.

The Board found that VA waived any objection to the timeliness of the filing of the Veteran's substantive appeal, and thus granted the appeal for all issues listed in the August 2016 rating decision.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a current bowel condition, hemorrhoids, lipomas, bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, or right foot condition. The Veteran's claims for these conditions are therefore denied.

The Board has remanded the cases due to incomplete information regarding the Veteran's exposure to toxins at Pease Air Force Base. The claims for service connection are intertwined with the claim for diabetes, and further examination is needed after confirming exposures.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of PTSD, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and right hand was reopened. The Board granted increased ratings for PTSD, diabetes, and peripheral neuropathy conditions. However, some issues were remanded due to lack of evidence.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary before the Veteran's claims can be adjudicated due to insufficient information regarding his exposure to herbicide agents. The claims are therefore remanded for a request to the U.S. Department of Army, Records Management and Declassification Agency (RMDA) for verification.

The Veteran's right and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy were granted a rating of 20 percent each prior to January 3, 2018.