Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2024

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for beneficiary travel benefits associated with his VA medical appointments on specific dates, finding that the distances from his addresses to the Dallas VAMC are approximately the same.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for bilateral upper extremity and lower extremity neuropathy.

The appeal for an earlier effective date for the increased disability rating of peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity is denied.,The appeals for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right lower and left lower extremities involving the femoral nerve before their respective effective dates are also denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities has been denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for sciatic neuropathy of the left lower extremity is being remanded for further review.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the award of service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, finding that it is not factually ascertainable that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II increased in severity to warrant such an award within a year prior to his claim.

The Veteran's right upper extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy is granted a 50 percent rating, but the left upper extremity condition remains at 20 percent.

The Board has determined that there was a duty to assist error in the May 2024 rating decision and has remanded the claims for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and providing an etiological opinion regarding the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy due to herbicide agent exposure.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for service-connected lower extremity peripheral neuropathies have been denied as the evidence does not support a higher rating based on current symptoms and diagnostic criteria.

The Veteran's diabetes is presumed to be etiologically related to his in-service exposure to herbicides, and the LLE peripheral neuropathy is found to be due to his service-connected diabetes.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for diabetes mellitus type II, left upper extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy, and right upper extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy due to inadequate examinations and unclear findings.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a lack of compliance with previous remand directives and potential exposure to herbicide agents during service. Additional deck logs are needed to determine if the Veteran was exposed in areas where herbicide agent exposure is presumed.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for earlier effective date and service connection for various types of diabetic peripheral neuropathy, as well as coronary artery disease with stent placement.

The Board has granted service connection for type 2 diabetes mellitus. The issues of service connection for sleep apnea, right lower extremity deep vein thrombosis, left lower extremity deep vein thrombosis, right lower extremity neuropathy, and left lower extremity neuropathy are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left lower extremity, right lower extremity, and right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy due to potential exposure to Agent Orange during active service. The VA examiner's opinions were inadequate, and an addendum opinion is needed.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of October 27, 2009 for the award of Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU). The decision is based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities causing impairment that has been inconsistent with obtaining substantially gainful employment throughout the appeal period.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of both upper extremities and an eye disorder, including cataracts, pseudophakia, dry eye syndrome, and arcus. The issues are related to secondary service connection.,Service connection is being sought for peripheral neuropathy of the left and right upper extremities as a result of diabetes mellitus type II and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Service connection is also sought for an eye disorder including cataracts, pseudophakia, dry eye syndrome, and arcus as a complication of Stargardt's macular dystrophy and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetic neuropathy, left upper extremity and right upper extremity as secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II due to a lack of current diagnosis of these conditions related to active service or his service-connected condition.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for increased ratings in excess of 20 percent for traumatic arthritis of the left elbow, left elbow osteoarthritis, and a right knee disability with limitation of flexion. The Veteran's appeal for an increased compensable rating for right knee instability is remanded. Appeals for increased ratings in excess of 10 percent for left lower extremity sciatic neuropathy and right lower extremity sciatic neuropathy are also remanded. The TDIU claim is deferred pending adjudication of the above-mentioned issues.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, and he has been granted a TDIU based on service-connected PTSD from August 23, 2022. He also received SMC at the 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s) rate due to his diabetes mellitus with associated bilateral lower extremity neuropathy.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain, cervical strain, and right foot peripheral neuropathy are remanded due to duty-to-assist errors in obtaining medical opinions that did not adequately address the relationship between the conditions and service.