Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2024

The Veteran's application for Legacy S-DVI was denied due to his history of liver cancer, Hepatitis C, and GERD. The Board has determined that the decision on appeal is flawed due to a lack of underwriting procedures compliance and procedural errors in notification.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities prior to June 3, 2021. After that date, his combined permanent and total schedular rating does not allow for additional TDIU benefits.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions and potential inextricably intertwined TDIU claim.

The Veteran's TBI has rendered him in need of regular aid and attendance, requiring hospitalization or nursing home care if not provided by his spouse. The Board granted a higher level of SMC(t) for the residuals of his TBI.

The Veteran's service-connected throat cancer and its residuals have been granted effective from March 12, 2010. The Board has also granted earlier effective dates for several other disabilities including obstructive sleep apnea, urinary frequency, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, facial numbness and nerve impingement, and surgical scars.

The Board finds that the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities is not related to service, including herbicide agent exposure in Thailand.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional evidence and medical opinions regarding her exposure to herbicide agents, toxins, and noise during active service.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development, including obtaining relevant private treatment records and providing an updated medical opinion to rate the severity of the appellant's diabetes mellitus and associated neuropathies.

The Veteran's claim for earlier effective date of May 31, 2019 for the award of service connection for bilateral lower and upper extremity neuropathy is granted. The Board finds that the earliest allowed by VA regulations is the proper effective date.

Service connection for PTSD has been granted.,Service connection for a left leg condition (claimed as neuropathy) is denied. The Veteran's claim for this issue was remanded.

The Board has denied an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for coronary artery disease and remanded the claims for bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy due to a lack of evidence regarding their onset during or shortly after service.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right lower extremity diabetic neuropathy on a secondary basis to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not render him in need of the regular aid and attendance of another person, as his disabilities do not significantly impair his ability to perform daily activities.

Your appeal for service connection of bilateral lower extremity neuropathy has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death. The Board does not have jurisdiction to proceed with this matter.

The Board has granted service connection for a leg length discrepancy and neuropathy of the right lower extremity, but denied service connection for neuropathy of the left lower extremity.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities require the need for regular aid and attendance of another person, which has been granted.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as presumptively service-connected due to exposure to herbicide agents during his service in Thailand. His unspecified depressive disorder and diabetic peripheral neuropathy are also granted, with the latter two conditions being presumed based on their association with diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is not rated compensable, and the issue of service connection for bilateral knee disability with neuropathy is remanded due to a lack of an opinion regarding its onset in service.

The Board has granted service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the upper left, upper right, lower left, and lower right extremities due to a medical nexus between in-service exposure and current diagnoses.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeals for reductions in ratings from 10% to 0% for service-connected peripheral neuropathy of the femoral nerve on both sides, finding that there was actual improvement and an ability to function under ordinary conditions.