Peripheral neuropathy Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, coronary artery disease, and bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are all granted as presumptively related to herbicide exposure during service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, diabetic retinopathy, and SMC based on loss of use of a creative organ are granted with an effective date of November 26, 2013.

The Board denied service connection for right and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, as well as an earlier effective date for ischemic heart disease. The Veteran's TDIU claim was granted prior to March 25, 2011, due to his PTSD alone. SMC at the housebound rate was also granted from February 9, 2007, through December 1, 2009.

The Board has readjudicated the claims for service connection for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss disability, cervical spine disability, skin disability, and peripheral neuropathy of both upper extremities. The decision is mixed as some issues are granted while others are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the left upper and lower extremities due to herbicide agent exposure, as there is a pre-decisional duty to assist error that occurred prior to the date of the AOJ decision on appeal.

The Veteran's claim for a 10 percent rating for residual, scar left medial thigh, status post gunshot wound is granted. The Veteran's PTSD with AUD, Moderate is rated at 70 percent and TDIU based on PTSD alone is granted. Service connection for hypertension, GERD, migraines, COPD, back disability, neck disability, right upper extremity neuropathy, left upper extremity neuropathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy are all granted. The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for gunshot wound right buttock with sciatic nerve involvement (to include peripheral neuropathy right leg/foot), gunshot wound, left thigh, multiple painful scars bilateral lower extremities, and residuals, scar right buttock and lateral leg is remanded.

The Board granted earlier effective dates of October 6, 2006 for the service connection of type II diabetes mellitus with hypertension and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy as secondary to diabetes. The Veteran's exposure to herbicides during service at U-Tapao RTAFB in Thailand is presumed related to his diabetes.

The Veteran's service connection claims for cervical spine disability, bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy of the femoral nerve (PACT Act), and bilateral hip/ankle osteoarthritis have been granted with effective dates. DEA eligibility has also been established.

The Board has determined that additional medical opinions and records are needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection. The claims have been remanded.

The Veteran meets the schedular criteria for a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disabilities, which render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, ischemic heart disease, diabetic neuropathy, prostate cancer residuals, bilateral diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities (sciatic), and diabetes mellitus Type 2, combine to result in physical or mental impairment that renders him so helpless as to require regular aid and attendance of another person. However, the need for aid and attendance must be determined without considering nonservice-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant, as his disability does not preclude him from ambulating independently and he has other nonservice-connected conditions that limit his ability to use assistive devices.

The Veteran's disability ratings for diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities were reduced, but this decision reinstates the original ratings.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for left lower extremity neuropathy, left knee condition, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to insufficient evidence in some cases.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than January 10, 2019 for peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity was denied.,The Veteran's claim for a rating higher than 70 percent for PTSD was denied.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, COPD, diabetes mellitus type II, diabetic neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities, OSA, left and right below knee amputations, bilateral lower extremity scars, and CAD as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.

The Veteran's claims for left and right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, right and left knee strain, other specified trauma and stressor-related disorder (anxiety, social anxiety), IVDS degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, and lumbosacral strain were denied effective dates prior to May 2, 2018.

The Veteran's allergic rhinitis, OSA, and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy have not been found to warrant a higher disability rating.,The Veteran's conditions do not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating under applicable VA regulations.

The Veteran is found to be eligible for enrollment in the PCAFC program due to his severe and complex medical conditions, which require personal care services.