Peripheral neuropathy Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for peripheral neuropathy of each upper extremity and assigned a disability rating of 10 percent effective November 18, 2004. The veteran's symptoms have been characterized as mild incomplete paralysis of the median nerves in both hands.

The Board denied service connection for vertigo and neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities due to Agent Orange exposure, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to military service. The petition to reopen a claim for bilateral hearing loss is addressed in the REMAND portion.

The Board has ordered the RO to obtain VA treatment records and to schedule the veteran for a neurological examination of his lower extremities. The purpose is to determine if higher ratings are warranted based on the extent of nerve involvement in each lower extremity.

The veteran's appeal of increased ratings for peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremity, as well as his claim for erectile dysfunction have been withdrawn. The Board has dismissed these issues due to withdrawal.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection as his injury was a result of willful misconduct.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an opinion regarding the relationship between the veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus and his claimed peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, as well as whether the veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus has aggravated these conditions.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is necessary to clarify the relationship between the veteran's peripheral neuropathy and his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at the RO. The case will be returned to the Board after this action.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, as well as a mental condition. The evidence does not show that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of the veteran's service-connected traumatic neuropathy of the right supraorbital.

The Board has determined that the veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the right and left feet did not manifest during service or within one year post-service, and there is no evidence linking these conditions to military service. The claims are therefore denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy, both of which he claimed were due to herbicide exposure. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to his military service or Agent Orange exposure.

The Board denied service connection for nerve damage, left ulnar neuropathy, anxiety, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus, type II, as these conditions are not shown to be related to the veteran's active service or a service-connected disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected diabetes mellitus and lower extremity polyneuropathy, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under VA's rating schedule.

The Board found that the veteran does not have a psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, which is etiologically related to active service. Therefore, service connection for a psychiatric disorder was denied.

The Board has granted service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the four extremities and erectile dysfunction as secondary to the veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has determined that the veteran's complaints of numbness and tingling in his upper and lower extremities, which have persisted since a vehicle accident in service, are attributable to diagnosed bilateral axonal neuropathy of the ulnar nerve and bilateral demyelinating neuropathy of the peroneal nerve. The Board finds continuity of symptomatology and grants service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's peripheral neuropathy is caused by his exposure to jet fuel during service, and therefore grants the claim for service connection.

The veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his service-connected left hand median/ulnar neuropathy is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and consideration of DeLuca factors.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for spondylolysis with postoperative fusion of L5-S1 was denied. The RO assigned a 40 percent rating for right lower extremity neuropathy with foot drop prior to September 23, 2002 and a 20 percent rating for mesenteric venous thrombosis with necrosis of the small bowel status post-operatively.,The veteran's spondylolysis with postoperative fusion of L5-S1 was rated at 60 percent since its inception. The RO assigned a separate 40 percent rating for right lower extremity neuropathy with foot drop prior to September 23, 2002 and a 20 percent rating for mesenteric venous thrombosis with necrosis of the small bowel status post-operatively.