Peripheral neuropathy Board decisions

The Veteran meets the criteria for special monthly pension by reason of being housebound due to his age over 65 and having a combined service-connected disability rating of 40 percent, which is more than the required 30 percent when considering non-service connected disabilities. His combined evaluation for pension is 70 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's skin disorder, sleep disorder, brain stem disorder, and peripheral neuropathy are not related to service. The claims for these conditions have been denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office for further action, including scheduling a Board hearing at the local RO.

The Veteran has been granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type 2, and erectile dysfunction as secondary to diabetes. The Board also found that the Veteran had a short visit to Vietnam in June/July 1970, which is presumed to have exposed him to herbicides. Service connection was granted for peripheral neuropathy of bilateral upper and lower extremities and hypertension due to service-connected diabetes.

The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities and radial mononeuropathy of the left upper extremity have been granted initial ratings, with some issues receiving higher evaluations.

The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities was not shown to be related to service or service-connected conditions, and thus his claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected left ulnar neuropathy and any additional muscle-related impairment. The case will be returned to the Board for readjudication.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary before the claims can be decided, including obtaining service treatment and personnel records, a medical examination, and any relevant Social Security Administration records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a diagnosed condition of peripheral neuropathy or ulnar neuropathy, and there is no evidence linking these conditions to service. The appeal for service connection is denied.

The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities is found to be related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, thus service connection is granted.

The Board found that the evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy was incurred in or related to his military service, including exposure to chemicals and asbestos. The preponderance of the evidence is against the claim.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and readjudication, including consideration of new VA opinions on the etiology of the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy. The claim will be returned to the Board after this is completed.

The Veteran's appeal is for earlier effective dates for the award of a temporary total disability rating based on hospitalization for PTSD, and for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities.,These claims are being denied as there is no evidence showing that the Veteran filed an earlier claim with VA.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not incurred or aggravated by service, and is therefore denied.,Service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity and right lower extremity is granted as these conditions are associated with his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board found that the Veteran's polyneuropathy of the lower extremities was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service and may not be presumed to have been.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy and diabetes mellitus, as well as his requests for increased ratings for degenerative arthritis of the knees and thrombophlebitis of the right lower extremity, were denied. The Board found that there was no evidence of peripheral neuropathy and that any potential relationship to service-connected conditions could not be established.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied due to lack of competent evidence supporting his assertions and diagnoses.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, to include as due to Agent Orange exposure. The case is being returned for additional development including obtaining medical records and conducting a VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected right hip disability is not the cause of his left hip, radiculopathy, or peripheral neuropathy. The Board has determined that he does not have a currently diagnosed left hip disability and denied increased ratings for sinusitis.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including verification of herbicide exposure and a VA examination to determine if hypertension is secondary to diabetes mellitus.