Peripheral neuropathy Board decisions

The Veteran is seeking service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, schwannoma, Warthin's tumor, peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, heart disease, and chronic myelogenous leukemia, all potentially related to exposure at Camp Lejeune. The case is being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including chronic renal failure and diabetes mellitus, made it difficult for him to work. The criteria for a TDIU were met from May 2, 2011 to May 3, 2013.

The Board has ordered additional development to determine if the Veteran was exposed to herbicides in Vietnam and whether his type II diabetes is due to other factors than a brief stay on South Vietnamese land. The appeal will be remanded for these determinations.

The Veteran's right and left lower extremities have been manifest by severe incomplete paralysis, including moderate intermittent pain, constant pain at times excruciating, cramping, edema, mild to severely impaired toe position sense, decreased sensation to monofilament, moderate paresthesias/dysthesia, moderate numbness, burning, decreased to absent light touch/monofilament, decreased to absent vibration sense, trophic changes of decreased distal hair, an antalgic gait, abnormal deep tendon reflexes in the right ankle, and abnormal Electromyography (EMG) test results.,The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have precluded him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current peripheral neuropathy disability of the lower extremities and is therefore not entitled to service connection for this condition. The left knee disability has been productive of extension limited to 20 degrees and symptomatic partially removed semilunar cartilage, warranting a rating in excess of 30 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy do not meet or approximate the criteria for a rating higher than 10 percent. The evidence does not show severe or complete paralysis of either posterior tibial nerve.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine if his left knee, left arm, and/or left shoulder disabilities are directly related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current Parkinson's disease, and his tremors are not otherwise linked to service. Early-onset peripheral neuropathy is presumed related to herbicide exposure in Vietnam, but the Veteran did not manifest early-onset peripheral neuropathy within one year after last exposure. The VA examiner found no evidence of a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, and the Veteran's reports regarding the timing of his tremors are inconsistent with other medical records.

The Board has remanded the case for additional examination and to obtain any outstanding records, including VA treatment records.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy disability, including whether it was caused by or aggravated by his in-service herbicide exposure. The case will be returned for further review after this examination.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for diabetes mellitus and related conditions are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities is not related to his service, including his service-connected residuals of a fracture of T-12 and L-1.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a medical opinion regarding the Veteran's chronic immune system disorder and whether there is malignancy in any part of the tumor surgically removed. The initial rating issue remains on appeal.

The Veteran was found unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment due solely to the effects of service-connected disabilities for the entire period on appeal prior to May 4, 2006.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, retinopathy, and impotence/erectile dysfunction. The evidence did not support a finding of in-service exposure to herbicides or any other basis for establishing service connection.

The Veteran sustained a left hip disorder following an August 2010 VA hip arthroplasty. The Board found that the disability was not caused by carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance of fault on the part of VA.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy of multiple extremities, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain any form of gainful employment from February 25, 2010, to November 8, 2012.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, hypertension, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and erectile dysfunction. The primary basis for denial is that there is no evidence of these conditions during or within one year after service.

The Veteran's service-connected peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities has been rated at 20 percent, and this rating is maintained.

The Board finds that the left second toe amputation was not caused by VA care, and thus compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 is denied.