Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2023

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left shoulder disability is denied. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a current diagnosis of a left shoulder disability and concludes that there is no causal relationship between any diagnosed condition and his military service.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee disability and peripheral neuropathy, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not secondary to his service-connected disabilities.,A TDIU from October 1, 2021 was granted.

The Board has granted service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower and upper extremities, finding that it is due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during service in Vietnam.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions, including degenerative joint disease of the knees and shoulder, neuropathy of the lower extremities, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension. The issues of PTSD, depression, a sleep disorder, and TDIU are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions.,No new evidence has been received sufficient to reopen the claim for sleep apnea.

The Veteran requested the withdrawal of all his issues regarding service connection, and as a result, the appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus is granted as service-connected due to herbicide exposure.,The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities is granted as service-connected due to herbicide exposure.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected dermatitis, DM II, and associated PN due to failure to report for VA examinations without good cause.

The Veteran's hypertension was granted service connection. The issues of diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, cornea scar, and left ankle disability are remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that new evidence has been added to the record since the last rating decisions and must be considered in deciding the increased ratings for diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, and TDIU issues. The claims are being remanded to allow for this consideration.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to the inextricability of this appeal with a separate appeal regarding severance claims. The TDIU appeal will be deferred until the adjudication of the severance claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, COPD, and peripheral neuropathy of all four extremities are remanded due to the need for additional evidence regarding his exposure to herbicide agents during service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional development and examination. The issues include bilateral hearing loss, alcohol use disorder, erectile dysfunction, gout, sleep disorders, low back disability, neck disability, peripheral neuropathy in various extremities, restless leg syndrome, left knee disability, psychiatric disability, shoulder disabilities, pes planus with neuroma and plantar fasciitis, left foot disability post-surgery, and right knee meniscal tear.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 40 percent for his lumbosacral strain with degenerative joint disease and herniated disc at L4-5 and L5-S1, with intervertebral disc syndrome, and with impaired ejaculation and urinary hesitancy was denied.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for his right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy was also denied.

The Veteran's right hearing loss is granted service connection. The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, erectile dysfunction, and diabetic peripheral neuropathies are not rated higher than the current assigned ratings. The Veteran's diabetic retinopathy and CAD are granted increased ratings.

The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities is granted as service connected due to exposure to herbicide agents, with a rating of 100% effective from the date of the decision.

The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy affecting the sciatic and femoral nerves has been granted increased ratings of 40 percent for the left lower extremity and 30 percent for the right lower extremity, both effective from September 20, 2017.

The Veteran's cervical spine disorder and bilateral upper extremity neuropathy are granted service connection, with the latter being secondary to his cervical disorder. A TDIU is also granted beginning May 1, 2019.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral lower extremity neurological disorder, finding that the appellant's symptoms did not result from injury incurred or aggravated during her period of active duty training.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's GERD claim. The Veteran is not service connected for DM, bilateral upper neuropathy, or diabetic retinopathy, and there is no secondary service connection established.