Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2023

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities have been denied. The RO granted initial ratings in certain cases, but denied others.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetic peripheral neuropathy and prostate cancer, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since August 1, 2018. The Board has granted entitlement to TDIU from that date.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to warrant readjudication of the claim for service connection for a right great toe disability. The issues of service connection for lower back disability, peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity, asbestosis, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and traumatic brain injury (TBI) are also being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Veteran is already receiving the maximum schedular rating for meralgia paresthetica of the right thigh, and her left upper and lower extremity disabilities are not related to her military service or a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and granted.,Service connection has been established for major depressive disorder, headaches secondary to back impairment and major depressive disorder, and sleep apnea secondary to back impairment and major depressive disorder.

The Board has remanded several issues related to peripheral neuropathy and radiculopathy, including the need for additional medical records and clarification of treatment received at Instituto Terapia Fisica (ITF). The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is also referred for a new examination.

The Board denied service connection for the claimed conditions, finding that there was no evidence of herbicide exposure during service and thus no basis to grant any of the claims.

The Veteran's PTSD, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and skin condition are all rated based on their severity. The Veteran is not entitled to a higher rating for any of these conditions.,Diabetes is also rated based on its severity, with no entitlement to a higher rating.

The Veteran's claimed bilateral shoulder, neck, left arm, left finger, and back disorders were not incurred in or caused by service. The disorders were not aggravated by, proximately due to or the result of service-connected disabilities.

The Board previously granted an earlier effective date of September 1, 2016 for the service-connected diabetic neuropathy in the right lower extremity and remanded it to the AOJ. The AOJ assigned a 10 percent disability rating from October 27, 2016 but did not rate it from September 1, 2016. The appeal is being remanded again due to non-compliance with previous directives.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, bilateral peripheral neuropathy, and hepatitis C to include liver disease as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus type II due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings of peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities is granted, with a 20 percent rating effective May 22, 2014. The Board has also remanded his claim for service connection for a right hip disability due to secondary service-connected conditions.

The Board denied service connection for right upper extremity, left upper extremity, right lower extremity, and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy. Service connection was granted for a disorder manifested by diffuse muscle and joint pain.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment from March 2016 to November 24, 2019.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional records and development. The Board acknowledges that some of his conditions may be related to in-service exposures, but further examination is needed.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development due to the need for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed peripheral neuropathy of lower extremities.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for left foot peripheral polyneuropathy is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining authorization and requesting non-VA treatment records.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II (diabetes) is granted on a facts-found basis due to herbicide agent exposure during service.,The Veteran's hypertension is granted on a facts-found basis as it was caused by herbicide agent exposure during service.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetic peripheral neuropathy, finding that the Veteran was diagnosed with this condition during his appeal period and that it is proximately due to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for a rash was denied, and his claims for migraine headaches, CFS, fibromyalgia, neurological disability, left upper extremity neuropathy, right upper extremity neuropathy, and left wrist disability were remanded.,Service connection is granted for migraine headaches. The Board found that the Veteran's current diagnosis of migraine headaches was related to his in-service surgical repair of his nasal septum.