Peripheral neuropathy Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for his service-connected neuropathy in both lower extremities, finding that the evidence supported a moderate level of incomplete paralysis and did not warrant higher ratings.

The Board granted an effective date of April 22, 2021, for the grant of a 100 percent rating for PTSD and SMC based on housebound status.

The Board granted service connection for a back disability and right sciatica with an effective date of August 17, 2022, but denied earlier effective dates for prostate disorder and GERD, as well as service connection for diabetes with diabetic neuropathy.

The Board remands the claims for a higher rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbar, status post partial laminectomy and discectomy, an initial higher rating in excess of 20 percent for left lower extremity (LLE) peripheral neuropathy, an initial higher rating in excess of 20 percent for right lower extremity (RLE) peripheral neuropathy, and an initial compensable rating for lumbar scar due to deficiencies in the VA examinations.

The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, asthma (presumptive basis), peripheral neuropathy of the left posterior leg as secondary to status post left leg tumor removal, and bilateral pes planus. It also granted an effective date of May 5, 2016, but no earlier, for the award of service connection for TMJ associated with PTSD, MDD, GAD, and bruxism.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection and special monthly compensation, as these claims were granted under the PACT Act on August 10, 2022.

The Board granted the appeal to restore service connection for chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, finding that the severance of service connection was improper.

The Board granted earlier effective dates for the grant of service connection for bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, but remanded initial rating claims for these conditions.

The Board granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and bilateral lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy based on the Veteran's in-service exposure to industrial cleaning chemicals.

The Board granted a 40 percent disability rating for diabetes mellitus effective August 7, 2018, and denied an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for PTSD.

The Veteran was granted an initial 70 percent rating for PTSD from November 12, 2009 through May 30, 2011.

The appeal for service connection for left and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy was dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal. The other claims were remanded for further development.

The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death while it was pending.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for left lower extremity radiculopathy and idiopathic peripheral autonomic neuropathy prior to February 11, 2021.

The Board granted earlier effective dates for the award of service connection for CAD, type II diabetes mellitus, and prostate cancer, as well as initial ratings for CAD, linear left upper chest scar, type II diabetes mellitus, bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and erectile dysfunction.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, with hypertension and erectile dysfunction, migraine headaches, left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, left sciatic nerve peripheral neuropathy, and right sciatic nerve peripheral neuropathy were granted ratings of 40%, 50%, 30%, 40%, 20%, and 20% respectively from November 22, 2017. The Veteran was also granted individual unemployability from the same date.

The Board granted service connection for dementia, essential tremors, COPD, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities but denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for glaucoma.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral sciatic, musculocutaneous, anterior tibial, internal popliteal, and posterior tibial nerve neuropathy secondary to the Veteran's service-connected hepatitis C, and increased the initial ratings for right and left lower extremity chronic polyneuropathy to 40 percent.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, right lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy, and left lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy as the evidence did not establish in-service exposure to herbicide agents or a nexus between the claimed conditions and service.

The Board denied entitlement to an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for diabetes mellitus and hypertension, as well as a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss.