Peripheral neuropathy Board decisions

The Veteran seeks service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, which he claims is due to exposure to herbicides in Vietnam. The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine the etiology of his current condition and whether it is related to his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not cause or contribute substantially to his death from coronary artery disease and cerebrovascular accident.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess his employability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran is seeking a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities, including chronic lumbar strain syndrome and peripheral neuropathy. The case has been remanded for further examination and evaluation of the impact of these conditions on employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are sufficient to render him unable to obtain and maintain any form of substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed conditions are not related to his military service and denied all claims for service connection.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for neck disorder and effective dates prior to December 26, 2002, for separate evaluations of his bilateral foot disabilities. The appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right and left feet was rated at 10% prior to June 26, 2009, and at 20% thereafter. The appeal is denied as there is no basis for higher ratings.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, depression, diabetic retinopathy, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower and upper extremities as secondary to diabetes mellitus. The appeal is granted based on presumptive service connection due to herbicide exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, finding that there was no evidence to support a presumption of exposure to herbicides or direct service connection.

The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities is found to be related to his presumed exposure to herbicide agents, specifically Agent Orange. Service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board has ordered that the case be remanded for clarification of a medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's in-service eye trauma contributed to his current left eye disabilities.

The Veteran seeks an earlier effective date for the award of service connection and a 10 percent rating for left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy. The Board finds that the earliest date on which entitlement to such disability arose is February 22, 2005.

The Veteran's appeal is being held in abeyance due to the intertwining of his peripheral neuropathy claim with a back disability claim. The Board will consider both claims together.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities and erectile dysfunction are not causally or etiologically related to his active duty service, nor may they be presumed to be incurred in or aggravated by such service. The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is linked to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy affecting his bilateral upper extremities, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding the initial rating for erectile dysfunction and increased ratings for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities before a decision was made by the Board.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for his neurological disorder of the right knee was granted retroactively, but he remains seeking a higher rating for his right lateral femoral cutaneous nerve neuropathy. The Board has remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the severity and nature of his neurological symptoms.

The Veteran is seeking compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, claimed as a result of VA treatment for HIV at the Durham VAMC between 1998 and 2001. The case has been remanded to obtain written consent forms from the period in question and to determine if the VA practitioner exercised proper standard of care.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, finding that the Veteran's reported stressor of being in a combat situation during his Vietnam service is supported by credible evidence. The Veteran also meets the criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD and there is a link between his current symptoms and this verified stressor.