Peripheral neuropathy Board decisions

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed lumbar spine disorder, left lower leg neuropathy, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, and left foot disorder.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a new VA examination to address whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities preclude substantially gainful employment and to determine if his shortness of breath, chest pain, and right foot pain are due to diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran withdrew the appeal of his claims for increased evaluations for polyneuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities and PTSD prior to the Board's decision.

The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus with hypertension, fatigue, and erectile dysfunction has been manifested by a restricted diet, limited activity, oral medication, and insulin. The criteria for an initial disability rating in excess of 40 percent have not been met.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service records and a need for additional private treatment records. The Veteran's claim is related to herbicide exposure during his service in Thailand.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to determine the appellant's unemployability due to his service-connected disabilities, including obtaining medical records and conducting a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for reimbursement of medical expenses incurred at a non-VA facility on April 23, 2012 was denied as the treatment did not meet the criteria for emergency treatment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities is related to his service-connected ulcerative colitis, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's right lower extremity diabetic neuropathy was rated at 10 percent prior to June 27, 2011. The Board found that the disability did not meet criteria for a higher rating due to lack of evidence of muscle wasting or atrophy.

The Veteran's service-connected cold weather injuries to the hands and feet, hypertension, hand pain, left foot drop, bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower right extremities, and sleep disorder have been granted. The Veteran is assigned a 10 percent disability rating for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hearing loss, tinnitus, colon cancer, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy, were denied as there was no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides or radiation. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection under applicable regulations.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service personnel records and deck logs, as well as a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's polyneuropathy is related to his service. The appeal will be reconsidered after these actions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy or cardiac disorder, and thus cannot establish service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral leg and foot disability, including atherosclerotic peripheral vascular disease and peripheral neuropathy, is not causally related to his service-connected lumbar spine disability. As such, the claim for service connection on secondary basis is denied.

The Board granted service connection for low back disability and assigned a 20% rating. Separate ratings of 10% were assigned for neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities.

The Board finds that the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy is not due to an undiagnosed illness or exposure to chemicals during active duty, and thus service connection cannot be granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have resulted in permanent and total disability that is due to the loss or loss of use of one or both lower extremities so as to preclude locomotion without the aid of braces, crutches, canes or a wheelchair. The Board grants entitlement to a certificate of eligibility for assistance in acquiring specially adapted housing.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of herbicide exposure during service, and the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of an acquired psychiatric disorder or heart condition. The claim for neuropathy is denied as well.

The Veteran claims compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for additional disability (weakness and axonal neuropathy) resulting from a VA-administered pneumococcal vaccine, alleging that he did not receive adequate medical care as a result of the treatment. The case is remanded to determine if the proximate cause of his claimed disabilities was due to VA's fault in providing inadequate medical care.

The Board has remanded the claims due to additional development and the Veteran's request for a Travel Board hearing at the Waco VARO.