Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2026

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral lower and upper extremity neuropathy due to herbicide exposure, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are causally related to his in-service exposure.

The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus is presumed to be related to in-service exposure to herbicide agents. The Board has granted service connection for left and right amputations below the knee as secondary to his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for peripheral neuropathy, left and right lower extremities, have been dismissed. The appeal concerning an increased rating for PTSD has been remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claims for brucellosis and related secondary conditions must be remanded due to a duty-to-assist error in the initial rating decisions. The Veteran was exposed to Southwest Asia during his military service, but the medical opinion provided did not adequately address this exposure.

The Veteran's right shoulder condition, diabetes mellitus type II (diabetes), eye condition, heart condition, prostate cancer and residuals of prostate cancer, and bilateral diabetic peripheral neuropathy are all granted service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, non-diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, sleep apnea, right knee disability, and glenohumeral joint osteoarthritis of the right shoulder have been denied. The Board has remanded these issues due to insufficient evidence.,The Veteran does not currently meet the criteria for service connection as his left ear hearing loss is not shown by VA regulations.

Effective dates of February 23, 2023 have been granted for the award of service connection for right shoulder separation, diabetes, dry eyes, peripheral neuropathy of left lower extremity, and peripheral neuropathy of the feet.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right lower peripheral neuropathy is likely related to his military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's VA treatment records show that he required regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities, including chronic valley fever fungus residuals, PTSD with associated mood/affective disorder, sleep apnea, and multiple peripheral neuropathies. The Board granted the claim for an earlier effective date of April 11, 2023, for the award of SMC based on aid and attendance.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, back disability, and various peripheral neuropathies, render him in need of regular aid and attendance due to his inability to perform daily activities independently. The Board found that the evidence was in balance, with reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran, granting SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeal because the AOJ did not process his claim for bilateral lower extremity neuropathy secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus type II, and thus there was no decision on this issue.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left arm neuropathy was not caused by VA hospital care, medical or surgical treatment, and therefore denied compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings for his bilateral foot disability and ankle disabilities are being remanded due to duty-to-assist errors in obtaining adequate medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional examinations and medical opinions to determine the severity of the Veteran's service-connected right upper extremity neuropathy, left and right lower extremity shin splints, and their impact on his ability to work. The issues are related to direct service connection.

The Board has remanded the cases due to an error in not considering the ameliorative effects of medication on the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy ratings.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection due to the appellant's request for withdrawal of the appeal.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity, left lower extremity, right upper extremity, and right lower extremity are being remanded due to a failure to notify the Veteran about his right to a hearing with the AOJ.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to a failure to provide a VA examination in connection with her PTSD, which may have increased in severity since the last examination.

The appeal is dismissed as the Veteran's request for a Higher-Level Review (HLR) of a March 2023 HLR rating decision was untimely and invalid. The claims for increased ratings for bilateral lower extremity neuropathy are denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetes mellitus type II and bilateral diabetic polyneuropathy, result in significant limitations that necessitate regular aid and attendance. The Board has granted SMC based on the need for aid and attendance.