Peripheral neuropathy Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, render him unemployable due to his mental health conditions.

The Veteran is granted a 10 percent rating for left knee patellofemoral syndrome and laxity, effective August 4, 2010. The Veteran's right eye optic neuropathy remains at 10 percent since November 7, 2011.

The Veteran has additional disability consisting of peripheral neuropathy below the left knee, which was caused by a VA surgical treatment on September 14, 2005. The Board finds that this event was not reasonably foreseeable and grants compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have service connection for type II diabetes mellitus or peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his active service.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and increased rating have been dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities and for obtaining any outstanding VA outpatient treatment records.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for the claims of service connection for a hiatal hernia, subacute peripheral neuropathy, and chloracne. As such, these issues are dismissed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right leg, left leg, and bilateral foot disorders are not related to his military service.

The Veteran is granted service connection for residuals of injury to the right upper extremity, including lateral epicondylitis and wrist tenosynovitis, as these conditions are found to be due to an in-service injury.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, bilateral upper and lower extremity radiculopathy and/or neuropathy, and sleep apnea. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by active duty service.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, reflecting occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to symptoms such as depressed mood, anxiety, and difficulty in understanding complex commands. The claim for an increased rating for PTSD is granted.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is found to be related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The claims for thoracic spine disability and hepatitis have been reopened due to the submission of new evidence that relates to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate these claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disability, paresthesia and numbness of the bilateral lower extremities (claimed as 'peripheral neuropathy'), and paresthesia and numbness of the left upper extremity (claimed as 'peripheral neuropathy'). The Veteran was also denied an initial compensable evaluation for his hearing loss. Finally, he was denied TDIU due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and to ensure full compliance with the duty to assist. The issues include rating increases for PTSD, diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, and hearing loss.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and treatment records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and to provide a VA examination. The TDIU claim will be adjudicated after the left shoulder service connection issue is resolved.

The Board has granted service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, lumbar spine disability, and tailbone disability as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected residuals, compression fracture, T12 with arthritis.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection and increased ratings due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeals. The combined rating for his service-connected disabilities is 70 percent, meeting the criteria for a TDIU.

The Board finds the evidence to be in equipoise, supporting the Veteran's claim that he was exposed to Agent Orange and other biological and chemical agents during active service at Dugway Proving Grounds. The diabetes mellitus type II is related to this exposure, as are the peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 40 percent disabling since September 27, 2007. The Board finds that the criteria for a higher rating are not met and thus denies an increased rating. The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted.