Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2023

The Board found no evidence of peripheral neuropathy in the Veteran's right and left upper extremities during service or within one year after service, and concluded that any current symptoms are not related to his active duty.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for bilateral foot and ankle disabilities, as secondary to service-connected left knee disability. The Veteran's current conditions include small fiber neuropathy of both feet, tarsometatarsal joint arthritis (Arthritis TMTJ) of both feet, right foot metatarsalgia, right foot hallux valgus, right foot degenerative joint disease, and bilateral ankle joint sprain.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, a bilateral ankle condition, a back condition (including sciatica and low back pain), obstructive sleep apnea, and bilateral cataracts secondary to diabetes mellitus.,Service connection was not granted for any of these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their death, and no final decision could be made.

The Veteran's hepatitis C, bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, right foot disability, and back disability claims are remanded due to incomplete medical opinions. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the service connection claims.

The Veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates for service connection of right and left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy have been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation from June 30, 2006 to March 29, 2021.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for PTSD, peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, and peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity require additional development due to incomplete medical records and need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's hypertension is related to service and granted.,The Veteran's neuropathy of the right upper extremity, left upper extremity, right lower extremity, and left lower extremity are all related to service and granted.

The Veteran's service-connected peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities (sciatic) ratings have been restored to 20 percent effective August 28, 2018. The femoral nerve disabilities remain at 20 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral lower extremity neuropathy has resulted in the effective loss of use of both feet, meeting the criteria for eligibility to financial assistance for an automobile or other conveyance and adaptive equipment.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, finding no evidence of in-service disease or injury that caused these conditions. The Veteran's claims were also not supported by continuity of symptomatology after discharge.

The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities is being remanded for further examination and opinion to determine if it is related to his in-service exposure to an herbicide agent.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy due to incomplete records and need for further medical examination.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II and lower extremity peripheral neuropathies were rated at 20 percent for the entire period from January 27, 2017. The right and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathies were each rated at 40 percent from September 30, 2020 to the present.

The Board has remanded three issues related to service connection for cervical spine condition, peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity, and peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity due to inadequate VA examination opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a duty to assist error, specifically failing to provide a VA examination related to his diabetes mellitus. The issues of service connection for impotence, neuropathy, nephropathy, peripheral vascular disease, amputation of the right second toe, and amputation of the left lower leg below the knee are also remanded as they are inextricably intertwined with the DM II claim.

The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disability and physical disabilities separately result in her requiring regular aid and attendance from another person, warranting a higher rate of special monthly compensation (SMC).

The Veteran's voiding dysfunction, diabetes, peripheral neuropathy in each extremity, and MDD are being remanded for further evaluation.,Service connection for a left hip disorder is also being remanded as there is no indication that the condition is related to service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions were denied as new and material evidence was not received to reopen the claims, and the current diagnoses are not related to his active duty service.