Peripheral neuropathy Board decisions

The Board has remanded this case for a video conference hearing and further development.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed as he withdrew his appeal for the rating reduction and the ratings assigned for residuals of prostate cancer.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected low back intervertebral disc syndrome, with degenerative arthritis, and right sciatic neuropathy are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, brain cancer, a cardiac condition, and lung cancer were denied.,Service connection was not established for any of these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for CLL and the related secondary disabilities, finding that there was no evidence of herbicide exposure in Guam or elsewhere during service. The Veteran's claim for unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is also denied.

The Board has granted a 30 percent disability evaluation for the Veteran's right ulnar nerve neuropathy from May 28, 2013 onwards. The initial TDIU claim is also granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II, coronary artery disease, and erectile dysfunction are service-connected due to herbicide exposure during his Vietnam-era service. The peripheral neuropathy claim is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected right sciatic neuropathy is currently rated at 20 percent, effective September 21, 2012. The claim for an increased rating prior to that date has been denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied due to his PTSD disability, but the RO has since granted service connection for additional disabilities including diabetic renal disease with hypertension. The Board finds that further development is needed as there are no opinions addressing whether the Veteran's combined service-connected disabilities render him unemployable.

The Veteran's low back disorder was rated at 20 percent prior to December 1, 2011. As of December 1, 2011, the rating for his thoracolumbar spine condition increased to 30 percent due to more severe limitation of motion. Service connection for a mixed demyelinating/axonal degeneration sensorimotor polyneuropathy was granted.

The Veteran's appeal was granted, and he is now receiving a 100% disability rating for residuals of cerebrovascular accident. He also received increased ratings for dysarthria, peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity, and peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity.

The Veteran's initial claim for an increased rating for postoperative incision was denied. The effective date of service connection for right intercostal neuropathy, post-thoracotomy was granted but the Veteran's appeal on the initial evaluation remains pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for venous stasis, hypertension, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.

The Veteran's right hand superficial radial sensory neuropathy is rated at 30 percent, higher than the existing 20 percent rating. The Veteran's vocal cord dysfunction and LPR symptoms are separately evaluated.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, DM, peripheral neuropathies, and ED, render him unemployable due to his physical and mental limitations.

The Board found no evidence of Agent Orange exposure and thus could not establish service connection for the Veteran's claimed conditions based on herbicide exposure. The claims were denied.

The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's current peripheral neuropathy is etiologically related to his service-connected hypogammaglobulinemia, and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes, nephropathy with voiding dysfunction, neuropathy of the lower and upper extremities, retinopathy, erectile dysfunction, hypertension, and coronary artery disease are all denied as there is no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides or other service connection criteria met.

The Board denied service connection for the claimed conditions as a result of herbicide exposure.