Peripheral neuropathy Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for esophageal cancer, type II diabetes mellitus, erectile dysfunction, peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, all claimed as due to herbicide exposure. The evidence did not establish a link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining updated treatment records and VA examinations for PTSD and left ear hearing loss. Service connection claims for peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities are also pending.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for polyneuropathy due to lack of evidence showing a claim was filed prior to July 10, 2007.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone preclude him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected left wrist disability was denied. The current disability picture does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's tinnitus, hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, erectile dysfunction, and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities were not shown to be related to service.,Service connection was denied for all claimed conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's current peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities did not begin during service or due to exposure to herbicide agents, and is less likely related to in-service symptoms. As a result, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted, and he has service connection for non-ischemic cardiomyopathy with congestive heart failure. The issue of a rating in excess of 10 percent for peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity remains pending.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings are addressed in the REMAND portion of the decision below and are REMANDED to the RO via the Appeals Management Center (AMC), in Washington, DC. The appeal is denied as there is no evidence showing that the Veteran had peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity prior to December 4, 2003.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to unclear information regarding his exposure to herbicides during service. The Board needs to determine if the USS Passumpsic-AO-107 was stationed in inland waterways of Vietnam (Brown Water Service) when the Veteran served aboard the ship between May 1972 and October 1972.

The Board found no evidence of herbicide exposure during service and denied the claims for diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, and heart disability as they are not presumed due to service.

The Board found that the Veteran's neurological disorder is not related to his service, including any exposure to herbicides in Vietnam. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection, 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 peripheral neuropathy, encephalopathy, and total colostomy/ileostomy residuals were denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to Agent Orange exposure or the medications prescribed in December 2003.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to active service. The Veteran's current disabilities were attributed to post-service events or conditions.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction, hypertension, cardiac condition, right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy and left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy are all found to be secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities. The combined disability rating is 60% from June 20, 2002, and 100% from July 11, 2005.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unemployable as of September 12, 2001. Effective November 14, 2002, his TDIU was granted with a rating of 50 percent.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to determine if the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the left hand was incurred in service, and thus grant or deny his claim for service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tarsal tunnel syndrome/peripheral neuropathy and an increased rating for his left knee disability, finding no medical evidence linking these conditions to his active service.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, heart disorder, dental disability, cataracts, and erectile dysfunction are denied as there is no evidence of in-service incurrence or a relationship to service.,There is no current diagnosis of a dental disability. The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of diabetic neuropathy. Service connection for these conditions cannot be granted on a direct basis due to lack of evidence of an in-service injury, disease, or event and the absence of medical records showing treatment within one year after service.,The Board finds that diabetes mellitus type II is not related to active service as there is no evidence of its onset during service. The Veteran's blood pressure readings were normal at separation from service and post-service hypertension was first diagnosed years later.,Service connection for a heart disorder, cataracts, and erectile dysfunction cannot be granted on a secondary basis because diabetes mellitus type II is not a service-connected disease.