Peripheral neuropathy Board decisions

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate VA opinions and other procedural issues. The Veteran's conditions include PTSD, depressive disorder, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, neuropathy of upper extremities, and neuropathy of lower extremities.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a VA examination addendum to address whether the Veteran's bilateral lower extremity neuropathy was caused or aggravated by his service-connected left knee condition.

The Board has determined that more current clinical findings of the Veteran's PTSD are needed to adjudicate the appeal, and therefore, the case is being remanded for further development.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the listed issues prior to a decision being made.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development and readjudication. The issues include a higher evaluation for neck injury, service connection for PTSD and anxiety/dementia, and SMC based on aid and attendance or housebound status.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back strain and assigned initial compensable disability ratings of 10 percent each for right and left upper extremity neuropathy.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the right and left upper extremities, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The RO also found that the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or caused by military acoustic trauma.

The Veteran was granted TDIU as of November 1, 2009, due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran did not have herbicide exposure in Vietnam or any other country, and therefore cannot establish service connection for his claimed conditions based on herbicide exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities is not related to service, including presumed exposure to herbicides. The VA examiners have opined that it is less likely than not caused or aggravated by his diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher ratings or service connection in all cases.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, erectile dysfunction, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and bilateral hand disorder have all been denied. Service connection has been granted for diabetes mellitus with initial ratings of 20%.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his VA and private treatment records, as well as obtaining a VA examination by a cardiologist to determine the nature and etiology of any heart disease and peripheral neuropathy.

The Board found no evidence of herbicide exposure in Vietnam and denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy as secondary to the Veteran's diabetes.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities and remanded it for further development. The earlier effective date issue is also being remanded as part of this case.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed left and right foot neuropathies are not related to her active service or a service-connected disability, and therefore denied both claims.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claim of service connection for peripheral neuropathy. However, the claims are denied as there is no competent evidence showing a direct relationship between the Veteran's current condition and his active service or any service-connected disability.

The Veteran has been granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, as secondary to in-service herbicide exposure.,Service connection is also granted for bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy and obstructive sleep apnea, both found to be related to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a new VA examination and issuance of a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC).