Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded multiple claims for service connection due to the need for additional evidence and medical opinions regarding the Veteran's claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to obtain a medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's lower extremity neuropathy, which may be associated with his presumed exposure to herbicide agents during service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and neuropathy of the legs are being remanded due to a lack of VA examination or opinion regarding their etiology. The Board requests additional medical opinions on these issues, including whether they are related to service exposure to herbicide agents (Agent Orange).

The Veteran withdrew all issues on appeal, including those for tinnitus and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and its secondary effects on the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to a lack of in-service event, injury, or incurrence relating to his current diagnoses.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including sleep apnea, allergic rhinitis, prostate cancer, peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities, and erectile dysfunction. The claims are being remanded due to incomplete records for some conditions and the need for VA examinations to determine the etiology of these conditions, considering potential exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining outstanding VA treatment records from September 22, 2021, to the present.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development, including heavy metals testing and an opinion on the etiology of the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy. The Veteran's claim for service connection is pending.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection due to inadequate reasons or bases in previous decisions. The Veteran is required to undergo VA examinations to assess his peripheral neuropathy and psychiatric conditions, and to provide information regarding stressors related to PTSD.

The Board's decision denied reopening of claims for diabetes mellitus, bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, coronary artery disease, hypertension, and cause of death. The denial was vacated due to the failure to respond to a request for an extension of time.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus and bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy as secondary to diabetes mellitus, finding that the veteran's exposure to herbicide agents at Fort McClellan is related to his conditions.

The Veteran's diabetes, right and left lower extremity neuropathies, hypertension, and malignant melanoma and basal cell carcinoma are being remanded due to potential herbicide agent exposure during service. The Board will seek verification of the Veteran's reported exposure at Kadena Air Base or refueling stops in Guam.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy due to inadequate opinions regarding herbicide agent exposure and service-connected lung disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected diabetes mellitus type 2, finding that the evidence did not show that it required one or more daily insulin injections or regulation of activities.

The Veteran's SMC claim for aid and attendance is granted. The diabetes rating appeal is remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's initial disability ratings for diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities have been granted, with effective dates prior to June 23, 2021, and effective from June 23, 2021, respectively.,A separate rating of 40 percent has also been assigned for each lower extremity since June 23, 2021.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for diabetes, neuropathy, psoriatic arthritis, anxiety, right shoulder condition, and sleep apnea due to duty-to-assist errors. The RO is instructed to obtain a VA examination and medical opinion regarding possible exposure to chemicals during service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right eye condition, ischemic optic neuropathy, is related to his service-connected hypertension and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates prior to August 10, 2022, for service connection were denied as there was no legal basis available due to the finality of previous denials and the liberalizing nature of the PACT Act.

The Veteran's service-connected type II diabetes mellitus is currently rated at 40 percent, but the evidence does not support a higher rating due to lack of episodes of ketoacidosis or hypoglycemic reactions requiring hospitalizations.,Both lower extremity neuropathies are currently rated at 10 percent each. The Veteran's right and left femoral nerves have mild incomplete paralysis.