Peripheral neuropathy Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for compensation benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 is being remanded due to the need for additional information and opinion regarding whether a nerve injury occurred during surgery.

The Veteran's claim for financial assistance for the purchase of an automobile and adaptive equipment or for adaptive equipment only is denied as he does not meet the criteria for loss of use of a foot due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities may be related to service, specifically a 1970 vehicle accident. The case is being remanded for further examination and opinion regarding both direct service connection and secondary service connection due to diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU benefits is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and VA examinations regarding his service-connected disabilities and their impact on his ability to work.

The Board denied ratings in excess of 40 percent for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, granted 20 percent ratings for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities prior to December 15, 2009, and denied a rating in excess of 30 percent for peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity from December 15, 2009, and denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity from December 15, 2009.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to verify the Veteran's claimed herbicide exposure while serving aboard ships in Vietnam.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II, was rated at 20 percent prior to June 18, 2009. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to insufficient medical documentation of avoidance of strenuous activities.

The Board found that the Veteran did not have service in Vietnam and thus could not establish presumptive service connection for diabetes mellitus. The claim was denied as there is no evidence of herbicide exposure in Panama, and there is no continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability of the left leg resulting from an injury sustained during service. As such, service connection for residuals of an injury of the left leg is denied.

The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities was granted an effective date of May 19, 2010.,Both conditions are rated at a 10 percent disability level.

The Board found no evidence of herbicide exposure during service and denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, and macular degeneration as secondary to service.

The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities is service-connected, but his peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities and erectile dysfunction are not.

The Board found that the Veteran's right eye disorder, diagnosed as nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), was not incurred in or aggravated by service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, skin cancer, coronary artery disease, bilateral peripheral neuropathy, erectile dysfunction, kidney condition, hypertension, and tinnitus. The decisions were based on a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation prior to June 24, 2010.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including thyroid disorder, numbness of upper extremities, peripheral neuropathy, fibromyalgia, unspecified disorders, muscle atrophy, and esophageal disorder, were denied as the evidence did not support a link to active service or exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for his degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine was denied, as it did not meet the criteria for a higher rating. His claim for service connection for coronary artery disease was also denied.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for lumbosacral strain from February 27, 2009 was denied. The appeal is also pending for total disability based upon individual unemployability.

The Board found no credible evidence to support the Veteran's claims of service in Vietnam or exposure to herbicides, thus denying service connection for heart disease and bilateral lower extremity neuropathy based on presumptive exposure. The claim was denied as direct service connection could not be established.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if the appellant was exposed to Agent Orange during his service in Vietnam, and whether he can establish service connection for his claimed conditions based on such exposure. The VA will conduct this development and then readjudicate the claims.