Peripheral neuropathy Board decisions

The Board has determined that there is no current diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities and therefore, service connection cannot be granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral lower extremity edema was denied, as there is no evidence that the condition is related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.,Service connection for diabetic neuropathy of the lower extremities was granted with a noncompensable evaluation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions, left upper extremity mononeuropathy and myositis ossificans, preexisted service and were not aggravated by service. As a result, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran's intervertebral disc syndrome, L5-S1, was granted an initial rating of 60 percent from February 16, 1995 to July 20, 2004. Beginning July 21, 2004, the Veteran is entitled to a separate 20 percent rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy associated with intervertebral disc syndrome and an initial rating of 20 percent for peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus and bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities due to inadequate examination and lack of etiological opinion. The dental claim is also remanded.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus and its associated complications, as well as his acquired psychiatric disorder (depression and/or PTSD), have not been found to be related to service or exposure to herbicides.

The Veteran's headaches are considered a residual of his TBI, and the Board finds that service connection is warranted for this condition.

The Veteran meets the schedular criteria for a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities, and his service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's erectile dysfunction is proximately due to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board finds that the Veteran's neuropathy/radiculopathy of the lower extremities is not causally or etiologically due to service and is not proximately due to or aggravated by a service-connected disability, including his lumbar strain.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, and rheumatoid arthritis due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents (Agent Orange) during service. The Veteran's diabetes was attributed to prednisone use rather than Agent Orange exposure.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is etiologically related to his service-connected acquired psychiatric disability, and the Board grants service connection for this condition on a secondary basis.

The Veteran's left foot disability, including tarsal tunnel syndrome and surgical scars, resulted in a total loss of use to the extent that no effective function remains other than what would be equally well served by an amputation stump with prosthesis. The Veteran is therefore entitled to a 40% rating for her left foot disability and special monthly compensation for loss of use of the left foot since February 19, 2014.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for her service-connected median-ulnar nerve trauma with neuropathy of the right upper extremity was granted, and she is now rated at 20 percent. The TDIU claim remains pending.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities on a presumptive basis due to exposure to Agent Orange during active service.

The Veteran was found to be unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities as early as August 21, 2007.

The Board has determined that the Veteran served in Vietnam and is presumed to have been exposed to herbicides. Therefore, service connection for ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus type II, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities are granted as they are presumptively related to such exposure.

The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy was found to have manifested as subjective complaints of pain, burning, tingling, numbness and weakness with objective evidence of hypoactive deep tendon reflexes, an abnormal gait, neuritis, neuralgia, affected sciatic nerves and decreased vibration sense. The Board granted a 20 percent disability rating for each lower extremity peripheral neuropathy.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for a low back disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include bipolar disorder and PTSD. The Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.