Peripheral neuropathy Board decisions

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is currently rated at 60 percent disabling, the highest possible under the applicable rating criteria. The Board finds no basis to grant a higher evaluation.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining relevant VA treatment records and verifying the Veteran's unit involvement in a lightning strike during service.

The VA has determined that there is no current evidence of peripheral neuropathy in the Veteran's bilateral lower and upper extremities, and thus denied his claims for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities were denied by the Board, as the evidence did not show that his conditions warranted a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has reopened several service connection claims and granted them, with some issues receiving staged ratings. The effective date for the award of PTSD is set at April 9, 2007.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus has been rated at 40 percent since June 5, 2014. The rating is based on the requirement of insulin and a restricted diet.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing clarifying opinions from a VA examiner regarding the Veteran's claims of service connection for upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, glaucoma, and cataracts as secondary to diabetes mellitus.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining additional VA or private treatment records and arranging for a VA examination to clarify whether the Veteran currently has upper extremity neuropathy and if so, its etiology.

The Board finds that the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of his bilateral lower extremities is not caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II. The preponderance of evidence supports a negative nexus opinion.

The Veteran's claims for special monthly compensation at the 'r' levels were denied as he does not meet the statutory requirements for these rates due to his service-connected disabilities and lack of additional conditions.

The Board has determined that a new VA examination is needed due to the inadequacy of previous opinions regarding the Veteran's claimed disabilities and their relationship to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, and therefore grants a total disability rating for compensation purposes based on individual unemployability.

The Board finds that the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities is not related to his active service, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

For the period prior to August 15, 2013, the Veteran's left foot drop with neuropathy associated with osteoarthritis and degenerative spondylosis status post discectomy with lumbar IVDS was rated at 20 percent.,For the period on or after August 15, 2014, the Veteran's left foot drop with neuropathy associated with osteoarthritis and degenerative spondylosis status post discectomy with lumbar IVDS was not rated higher than 60 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are not so severely disabling as to render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board denies his claim for TDIU.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability caused his diabetes, which in turn caused diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities. As such, both conditions are granted as secondary to the service-connected condition.

The Board has granted service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities due to exposure to herbicide agents during active military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, partial left median neuropathy, and skin disorders, do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral upper extremity neuropathy was proximately due to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.