Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2024

The Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus and diabetic neuropathy render him in need of the aid and attendance of another person, leading to a grant of special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for aid and attendance.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, and diabetic peripheral neuropathy, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions, including Achilles tendon disability, bilateral ankle disability, bilateral carpal tunnel disability, bilateral hip and thigh disability, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, cervical spine disability, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), rhinitis/sinusitis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and groin disability. The evidence does not support a finding that any of these conditions began during service or are otherwise related to service.,The Veteran did not provide sufficient information in his claims for the Board to determine if there were any presumptive exposures or other theories of service connection.

The Veteran's PTSD is now rated at 100 percent effective June 5, 2015. Service connection for iliohypogastric nerve injury (claimed as nerve damage to the stomach) and diabetes mellitus are granted. The claims for service connection for vertigo, gastrointestinal disability, neurological disorder, and asthma are remanded.

The Board denied service connection for bladder cancer, type II diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower and upper extremities due to a lack of evidence showing exposure to herbicides during service.

The Veteran withdrew their appeals for service connection of skeletal arthritis, right lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy, and left lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy prior to the Board's decision.

The Veteran's appeals for higher initial ratings and earlier effective dates were denied. The diabetes was rated at the minimum level, with no need for insulin or restricted activities. The lower extremity neuropathies met the criteria for a 20 percent rating but not higher. The upper extremity neuropathies also met the criteria for a 30-40 percent rating but not higher. The cardiac disability was rated at the minimum level, with no need for insulin or restricted activities.

The Board denied a TDIU based on a single service-connected disability, finding that the Veteran's combined service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to decide the service connection claims for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, specifically regarding whether there is a direct relationship between the Veteran's current disabilities and his in-service herbicide agent exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the face, left upper extremity, right upper extremity, left lower extremity, and right lower extremity. The decision is based on in-service exposure to AFFF, gasoline, and other chemicals.

The Board found that the March 10, 2020 rating decision was not CUE and denied the Veteran's claims regarding severance of service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity and rating reductions for cold injury residuals of the bilateral feet.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of neuropathy in both lower extremities due to a deferral by the April 2022 rating decision, which was not a final decision.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for the Veteran's arthritis of the right hand, effective from the date of the January 28, 2021, rating decision.

The Board has denied service connection for multiple shoulder, elbow, neck, and hand disabilities as the evidence does not show any in-service injury or disease that could be linked to these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board granted effective dates of April 2, 2023, for the increased evaluations of 20 percent each for bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathies but denied earlier effective dates for the upper extremities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for small fiber peripheral neuropathy, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current condition and his military service or exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Board granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, right and left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy of the femoral and sciatic nerves, hypothyroidism, and erectile dysfunction with effective dates of March 19, 2021.

The Board granted earlier effective dates for service connection and initial ratings for various disabilities, including diabetes mellitus type II, bilateral knee amputation with peripheral vascular disease, chronic microvascular ischemia, chronic kidney disease, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, erectile dysfunction, and bilateral diabetic retinopathy.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, remanded certain claims, and dismissed an appeal regarding a proposed rating reduction.