Peripheral neuropathy Board decisions

The Board has remanded multiple issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including those for right ankle disability, chronic regional pain syndrome, right knee disability, muscle disorder and/or joint pain, vertigo, loss of balance, headaches, gastrointestinal disorder, skin disorder, left foot disability, and acquired psychiatric disabilities. The VA is directed to obtain relevant treatment records from various facilities and the Veteran's Social Security Administration (SSA) records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left foot neuropathy and right foot neuropathy have been granted. The claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for degeneration of the lumbar spine with spondylosis at L4-5 level has also been granted, restoring his previous rating.

Service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II is granted. Service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities is remanded.

The Board denied the claims for service connection for the cause of death, nonservice-connected death pension benefits, and accrued benefits due to the character of the service member's release from service being a bar to VA benefits.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including an acquired psychiatric disorder (including schizophrenia), bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, traumatic brain injury with residuals, chronic myositis of the para-cervical and para-lumbar spine muscles, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, absence seizures, hypertensive cardiovascular disease, and diabetes mellitus. The Veteran's service records need to be verified, including any National Guard or Reserve service, and all updated treatment records should be obtained.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and heart disability, prostate disability, diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease (coronary artery disease), kidney disease with renal failure and periodic bladder infection, anemia, and peripheral neuropathy. Service connection was denied for tendonitis of all joints.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of cold injury to the upper and lower extremities have been granted separate disability ratings for peripheral neuropathy (PN).,Higher initial evaluations are not warranted for the Veteran’s service-connected residuals of cold injury.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his painful surgical scar of the left wrist was denied. The claim for an earlier effective date for service connection and separate rating for left wrist tenosynovitis was also denied. The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his status-post carpal tunnel release with median nerve neuropathy, left (non-dominant) wrist/hand is remanded.

The appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been dismissed. The appeals for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, as well as an increased rating for PTSD, are being remanded.

The Board denied service connection for left upper extremity, right upper extremity, left lower extremity, and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy due to Agent Orange exposure.,The Board also remanded the claims for service connection for a heart condition and kidney disorder.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection and compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151, but has remanded one issue: whether left lower extremity peroneal neuropathy is related to a service-connected disability or an in-service injury.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence and needs further examination for service connection of peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, as secondary to service-connected back and/or bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for heart disability, esophageal disability, cirrhosis, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities as these conditions resulted from alcohol abuse during service. The Veteran's claim for Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) was also denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, as well as left and right leg/foot disabilities (claimed as cellulitis), due to exposure to herbicides. The claims are being remanded for further development including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's disabilities, including coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, are now rated at a combined rating of 80 percent. A total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral knee disability, erectile dysfunction, and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy as secondary to his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with myositis. The VA examiners are requested to provide opinions on whether these conditions are aggravated by the service-connected condition.,The Veteran's claims will be remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the relationship between his service-connected condition and the claimed secondary disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities due to a lack of nerve conduction studies in his VA treatment records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, diabetes mellitus, and bilateral neuropathy, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions preclude his ability to work.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities due to Agent Orange exposure, as there is insufficient evidence to determine if presumptive service connection applies. The Veteran will need to be afforded a VA examination to determine if his condition is related to service.