Peripheral neuropathy Board decisions

The Board found that the Veteran's polyneuropathy was caused by his active duty service, including exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam.

The Veteran's service-connected right ulnar neuropathy is manifested by subjective complaints of numbness, pain, and difficulty gripping objects. The evidence shows that the disability is purely sensory with no motor impairment. As a result, an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for right ulnar neuropathy is not warranted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as his conditions did not manifest during or within one year of his active duty service, and there is no evidence linking the conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's death was not caused by his service-connected disabilities, and the Board finds that these conditions did not contribute substantially or materially to cause the Veteran's death. The independent medical opinion concluded that the service-connected disabilities did not cause or contribute to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and a medical opinion regarding his ability to work due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities was not shown to have developed as a result of his military service or exposure to herbicides, including Agent Orange. The Board found that the condition did not manifest within one year of discharge and is not otherwise related to service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's fatigue, joint pain and myalgia are not due to an undiagnosed illness or a medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness. The symptoms are more likely related to his diagnosed conditions such as cervical spine disability, bilateral knee disability, wrist disability, diabetes with neuropathy, PTSD, and fibromyalgia.

The Veteran's claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 and service connection are all denied as the evidence does not support a finding of exposure to herbicides or other conditions related to his claimed disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have diagnosed conditions of bilateral upper and lower extremity radiculopathy, bilateral upper and lower extremity neuropathy, a bilateral hip disorder, a bilateral ankle disorder, or a bilateral knee disorder. The cervical spine disorder is also denied as it was not caused by service-connected disability.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn due to his request for withdrawal of all issues on appeal.

The Board found that the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy did not manifest during service or until many years thereafter and is not related to service. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The porphyria cutanea tarda with pyoderma, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and tinnitus are all rated at their maximum levels.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities, finding that new and material evidence was not received to reopen these claims. The Board also found that the Veteran's current peripheral neuropathies are not related to his active duty or service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a videoconference hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy is found to be causally related to his neurological disorders affecting the right upper extremity, other than radiculopathy, including carpal tunnel syndrome and ulnar neuropathy. As such, these conditions are granted as secondary to his service-connected cervical spine disability.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to a withdrawal by the appellant's representative prior to the promulgation of a decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran did not have service in Vietnam and thus is not entitled to presumptive service connection for any conditions based on herbicide exposure. The claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus, erectile dysfunction, hypertension, peripheral neuropathy, and eye disorder are denied as they are not related to active service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including scheduling a VA examination and a videoconference hearing. The issues of service connection for PTSD, peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, and peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity are pending.

The Board found that the Veteran's right and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is manifested by decreased sensation, absent reflexes at times, pain, numbness, and paresthesia in the lower legs, feet, and ankles without motor or muscle deficits. Therefore, a 10 percent disability rating has been granted for each lower extremity.

The Veteran is granted increased ratings for his service-connected peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, as well as neuropathic arthropathy of the left knee. The highest rating assigned was 40 percent for the right upper extremity from September 11, 2015.