Peripheral neuropathy Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal of his TDIU claim prior to November 2012 is being remanded for further development and consideration.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to be related to his military service. The Board finds in favor of the Veteran on this issue, granting service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's combined disability rating is 60 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for prostate disorder, type II diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, diabetic retinopathy, and erectile dysfunction. The conditions were not shown to be related to his active service or due to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including left shoulder strain, lumbar disc disease, L5-S1 radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, and other conditions, are found to preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease, hypertension, peripheral neuropathy, impotence, and cataracts are not service-connected due to lack of evidence showing in-service onset or connection to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, and the Board grants a TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete records and need for further examinations.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to his active duty service. The claims for peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities and hypertension, both claimed as secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II, are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected cervical spine disability is causing his headaches. His initial rating for the cervical spine was denied, but he received a higher rating from December 28, 2010 onwards. He also receives a TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD was denied as there is no current diagnosis of the disorder. The Veteran also does not meet the criteria for TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities, as his impairment is primarily caused by non-service connected knee issues.

The Board found no evidence of herbicide exposure and denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed conditions.

The Veteran is seeking compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for a left shoulder disability, which resulted from surgery conducted on October 18, 2004 at the Huntington VA Medical Center. The case has been remanded to obtain additional medical records and to provide a new opinion regarding whether the Veteran's current condition is related to the VA treatment or an unforeseeable event.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus, are found to be so severe that they prevent him from securing or following any substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has granted a disability rating of 40 percent for peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities as of March 21, 2011. The Veteran's condition is characterized by moderately severe incomplete paralysis of the sciatic nerve.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus and related complications are not service-connected as they did not manifest during his period of active duty or within one year thereafter. The Board finds that the Veteran's current conditions, including bilateral upper and lower extremity neuropathy and erectile dysfunction, are not due to disease or injury incurred in service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred on May 10, 2007 at BryanLGH Heart Institute (BHI) because the treatment was not rendered in an emergency situation and a VA facility was feasibly available.

The Veteran's chronic neurological disability manifested by pain in the right and left lower extremities, diagnosed as peripheral neuropathy, is related to his service-connected type 2 diabetes mellitus. The Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus is found to be the primary cause of his current diabetic neuropathy and acquired eye disability. PTSD was not incurred or aggravated in service.

The Veteran has withdrawn all of his issues on appeal, including those related to diabetes mellitus, insomnia, retinopathy, skin condition, neck condition, erectile dysfunction, right shoulder disorder, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and shingles. The Board finds that the Veteran's withdrawal constitutes a dismissal of the appeal.