Peripheral neuropathy Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity was improperly severed from service connection, and his claims for bilateral hearing loss and increased rating for headaches were not timely appealed.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including a back disorder, left hip disorder, left leg disorder, left ankle disorder, and peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated during active service.

The Veteran's right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted. The claim for service connection for heart disease has been reopened due to new evidence received since the last denial in November 2004, but no new or material evidence was found sufficient to establish service connection. Service connection for PTSD is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected erectile dysfunction is not rated higher than noncompensable. Service connection for diabetic peripheral neuropathy of both feet has been granted.

The Board found no evidence linking the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy to his service, including due to an undiagnosed illness or exposure to environmental toxins. The claim was denied.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral sciatic nerve neuropathy. The reopened claim is granted as the Veteran's bilateral sciatic nerve neuropathy is etiologically related to his service-connected lumbar spine degenerative disc disease.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death, cardiac arrest due to pneumonia with an unclear etiology, was substantially or materially related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, effective July 18, 2008. The decision also addressed the earlier effective date claims but found that no earlier effective dates are warranted.

The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 20 percent for service-connected type II diabetes mellitus remains before the Board. The issue also includes separate compensable ratings for his bilateral upper extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The case is being remanded again due to incomplete development.

The Board found that the Veteran's symptoms of bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher evaluation, as they are best described as mild neurological impairment. The evidence did not demonstrate moderate, incomplete paralysis of the bilateral upper extremities or severe, incomplete paralysis of the bilateral lower extremities.

The Board found that the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, which first manifested many years after service, was not incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Veteran's service-connected cervical spine and lumbar spine disabilities did not cause or contribute substantially to his death from metastatic adenocarcinoma of the liver. The Board finds that these conditions are minor, quiescent disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy, which may be related to service or other factors.

The Board denied service connection for right upper extremity, left upper extremity, and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy due to herbicide exposure. The claims were not reopened as new and material evidence was not submitted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and hypertension are all granted. The Veteran is presumed to have been exposed to herbicides in Thailand during his military service.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to determine if the Veteran's service-connected disabilities meet the criteria for specially adapted housing or a special home adaption grant due to worsening of his conditions since his last examination in June 2006.

The Board has determined that the Veteran did not have service in Vietnam and was not exposed to herbicides during his active service. None of the disabilities at issue were present in service or until years thereafter, and none are etiologically related to the Veteran's active service.

The Board has granted service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities as secondary to diabetes mellitus and has denied an increased rating for neurogenic bladder disease with incontinence of urine, finding that a higher rating is not warranted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, diabetic nephropathy, diabetes mellitus, and various neuropathies of the lower extremities, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted TDIU based on these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's currently diagnosed peripheral neuropathy of both left and right lower extremities is related to his military service, granting service connection for these conditions.