Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2024

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral upper and lower extremity neuropathy renders him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, resulting in the grant of TDIU.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities due to secondary service connection. The case is returned for further development.

The Veteran's service connection claims for hypertension, tinnitus, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and bilateral hearing loss are being remanded due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors. The AOJ will obtain a new medical opinion regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to conflicting evidence regarding his exposure to herbicides and the need for a VA medical opinion.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings for right upper extremity sensory neuropathy and right long finger limitation of motion is denied.,The Veteran's appeal for a TDIU on an extraschedular basis is remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection due to lack of new and material evidence within one year of final decisions, and because the Veteran did not have exposure to herbicide agents under the PACT Act.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to November 14, 2007 for hypertension service connection and a separate noncompensable rating for low back scar are granted. The claim for an initial compensable rating for hypertension is denied. The claim for a higher rating for low back disability is remanded. The claim for a compensable rating for left lower extremity neuropathy affecting the internal saphenous nerve is denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective date determinations have been denied. The Board found that the current evidence did not support higher disability ratings or earlier effective dates.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of sleep apnea and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, as they were not adequately addressed in the initial decision. The Veteran's representative provided additional information suggesting a possible relationship between his service-connected condition and these conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of right and left knee disabilities, as well as a higher rating for left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy and traumatic brain injury with migraines.

Service connection for hypertension is granted.,Service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity and left upper extremity is denied.,Effective dates for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities (right and left) are denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type 2, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are granted with an effective date of May 26, 2020.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and SMC are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU effective January 21, 2020. The Board denied an earlier effective date.,The Veteran was granted eligibility for DEA benefits effective January 21, 2020. The Board denied an earlier effective date.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from engaging in substantially gainful employment due to his education and occupational experience.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to a claims processing error where duplicate appeals were docketed under different streams. The effective dates for the service-connected conditions have already been addressed in another decision.

The Veteran's claim for ratings in excess of 20 percent for bilateral lower extremity neuropathy is denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on incomplete paralysis.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for sinusitis is granted, with a current effective date of July 31, 2018.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee strain and meniscal tear, left foot drop, and peroneal neuropathy were denied in July 2018. The Board is remanding these issues.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for right ankle disability was also remanded.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is remanded due to the need for additional development of his medical records, particularly those from Community Care providers and non-VA providers received by the VA but not associated with the claims file.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy affecting the sciatic nerve, as well as his diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction, were denied. The Veteran is not entitled to higher ratings for these conditions.,The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation on account of loss of use of a creative organ was also denied.