Peripheral neuropathy Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of peripheral neuropathy as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, finding conflicting evidence regarding whether he has this condition.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have residuals of a cold injury to his feet, and thus denied service connection for this condition. The Board also noted that any peripheral neuropathy is likely related to diabetes rather than cold exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities were each rated at 10 percent prior to March 15, 2005. From March 15, 2005 to March 23, 2009, they were each rated at 10 percent.,After March 23, 2009, the Veteran's service-connected peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities were each rated at 20 percent.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for his service-connected lower back disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination and review of diagnostic testing.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for accrued benefits and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation due to the severance of service connection for diabetes mellitus, as well as her request for retroactive payment based on an earlier effective date.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and SSA application documents. The Veteran is to be scheduled for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his peripheral neuropathy.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical opinions and records in order to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and consideration of all relevant evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus with cataracts and erectile dysfunction, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and scars, render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to October 20, 2004, for the award of a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) was denied as it is not factually ascertainable that he was unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment due to service-connected disabilities before this date.

The Board denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy of both legs and denied increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and right ankle fracture. The Veteran's claims were reopened on new evidence, but the service connection claim was ultimately denied.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for diabetes mellitus with complications was denied. A separate 10% rating is granted for the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities.

The Board found that the Veteran's other than honorable discharge from active service for his period of October 13, 1970 to March 23, 1976 is a bar to VA benefits based on that period. The claims for increased ratings and TDIU were denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied, and the reduction in evaluation from 40 to 20 percent was upheld. The Board found insufficient evidence to address the issues of an earlier effective date or a higher rating prior to January 22, 2007.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including coronary artery disease, obesity, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, congestive heart failure, lung disability, eye disability, peripheral neuropathy, lymphedema, erectile dysfunction, and sleep apnea. The evidence does not support a current diagnosis of any of these conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a bilateral foot condition (other than onychomycosis), to include peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities and vascular disease of the left lower extremity, and denied service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence and a need for further examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and a VA examination. The AOJ will obtain any outstanding VA treatment records, notify the Veteran of his duty to submit relevant evidence, and schedule him for a VA examination if necessary.

The Veteran's DM2 is currently rated at 20 percent, effective March 21, 2006. The claim for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for DM2 was denied. The claims to reopen and establish service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities were granted as secondary to DM2.

The Veteran's claim is being remanded for further evaluation and consideration due to the need for a VA examination.