Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2025

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including a lumbar spine disability, neuropathy, and bilateral hip and shoulder disabilities, as well as non-compensable ratings for residuals of right inguinal hernia repair and a scar associated with that surgery.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities to obtain an addendum medical opinion.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeal for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, bilateral lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy, a kidney transplant, and a liver transplant. The issues of service connection for a bilateral eye disability and hypertension were remanded.

The Board denied service connection for 20 conditions including depression, anxiety, and traumatic brain injury, finding insufficient evidence of in-service incurrence or nexus. The Board remanded three conditions (back condition, left lower extremity neuropathy, and left leg condition) for further adjudication.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to earlier effective dates for the awards of service connection for a left muscle group V status post gunshot wound condition and residual radial and median nerve neuropathy, s/p gunshot wound, left upper extremity.

The Board granted service connection for left lower extremity neuropathy, right lower extremity neuropathy, erectile dysfunction, a skin disability diagnosed as dermatitis, and COPD, all secondary to in-service exposure to toxins including herbicides. The initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the grant of service connection for left and right upper extremity neuropathy with hand arthralgia, as well as a skin disability of the bilateral hands.

The Veteran's requests for extensions of time to file appeals from rating decisions that denied service connection were denied, and the attempted appeals are dismissed.

The appeal for service connection and increased rating for sinusitis and sinus headaches was dismissed due to a prohibited concurrent election under the modernized review system. The claims for peripheral neuropathy, low back disability, and psychiatric disability were remanded for further development.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for smoldering myeloma, and bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy due to insufficient evidence regarding the onset of symptoms and potential interrelatedness of conditions.

The Board granted a disability rating of 30 percent for the Veteran's service-connected peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities and an earlier effective date for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on aid and attendance.

The Board granted the appeal to restore the 20 percent evaluation for left lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy effective June 1, 2025, as the reduction was improper.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD was granted a 100 percent rating from February 14, 2023, and increased ratings were granted for his diabetic peripheral neuropathy in the lower extremities.

The Board remands the claims for service connection and compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 due to a need for additional evidence, specifically outstanding military personnel records and service treatment records, as well as an adequate medical opinion.

The Board granted an initial 20 percent rating for peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity but denied a higher rating and any rating in excess of 10 percent for peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity.

The Board denied increased ratings for hypertension, coronary artery disease and stable angina, and diabetes mellitus type II but granted separate evaluations for diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities.

The Board granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type 2, diabetic neuropathy secondary to diabetes and throat cancer, and seborrheic dermatitis secondary to diabetes.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbar strain and a TDIU from August 30, 2010 to May 3, 2011 due to insufficient compliance with prior remand directives.

The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the evidence is at least in approximate balance regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is due to PTSD.

The Board remands the issue of entitlement to a rating in excess of 40 percent for left lower extremity neuropathy for further development, including securing an adequate VA examination.