Peripheral neuropathy Board decisions

The Board found that the Veteran's current right elbow tendonitis was not incurred in or aggravated by active duty service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have an acquired anxiety disorder, to include PTSD, and thus denied service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the cause of the Veteran's left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy and whether it was proximately caused by the September 2005 VA total knee arthroplasty. The issues of entitlement to special monthly compensation for loss of use of the left lower extremity and a TDIU are inextricably intertwined with the issue being remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for neuropathy of the lower extremities, secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus with cataracts and nephropathy, has been denied. His claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus with cataracts and nephropathy remains pending.

The Board finds that the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities is secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II, and grants this claim.

The Veteran's service-connected right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is rated at 10 percent, but the claims for gastroparesis and hypertension are denied as not related to service or due to Agent Orange exposure.

The Veteran's service connection claims for an eye disability, peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, and dental trauma have been dismissed. The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease due to presumed exposure to herbicides in Vietnam.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, peripheral neuropathy, and multiple myeloma were denied as these conditions are not presumed to have been incurred due to his alleged exposure to herbicides during service. The Board found that the first evidence of these conditions is decades after service.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for service connection for chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) as there was no competent evidence linking CIDP to her active duty service.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied as his service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's low back disability was initially granted with a 10 percent rating from June 1, 2006 to November 8, 2006 for lumbosacral strain and separate ratings of 10 percent each for left and right sciatic neuropathy. Since December 1, 2010, the Veteran's disability has not met the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, peripheral neuropathy of upper and lower extremities, and hypertension were not incurred in or aggravated by service, including exposure to Agent Orange. The presumptive provisions for these conditions have not been met.

The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of each lower extremity is currently rated at 20 percent, effective September 19, 2003.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus and its related complications, including genitourinary disorders, bilateral lower extremity pain (peripheral neuropathy), vision loss, and anemia. The Veteran's right knee disorder is also now considered service-connected as secondary to his left knee disability.

The Veteran's shell fragment wound, left triceps with left ulnar neuropathy is rated at 50 percent disabling since July 7, 2005. The rating for complete paralysis of the ulnar nerve adequately encompasses his symptoms.

The Board denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, finding no evidence linking it to service or Agent Orange exposure. The Veteran's essential tremor of the hands was also not granted service connection due to lack of a link to service.,Service connection was denied for both conditions as there is insufficient evidence to support their onset during active duty.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to incomplete verification of herbicide exposure and the need for a VA examination to determine if current tremors and neuropathy are related to service, including potential herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's service connection claim for residuals of coronary artery bypass graft surgery, including an infection of the sternum resulting in a sternotomy, scars, muscle loss and atrophy has been granted under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 due to VA hospital care causing an additional disability not reasonably foreseeable.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating, including secondary to hypertension. The case is now pending with the RO.

The Veteran's BPH was not shown to be related to his military service, including exposure to herbicides. Service connection for peripheral neuropathy has not been reopened.