Peripheral neuropathy Board decisions

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to confusion regarding his desire for a personal hearing. The case will be returned to the RO for appropriate action.

The Board has granted initial disability ratings of 20 percent for peripheral neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities associated with Type II diabetes mellitus, but denied an increased rating for diabetes mellitus.

The Board has granted the veteran's claims for secondary service connection for neuropathy of the lips and peripheral neuropathy of the hands, both as being caused by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for neuropathy, including Guillain-Barré syndrome, as a result of exposure to Agent Orange due to lack of evidence linking his condition to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions are not related to his active service and have denied each claim.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, peripheral neuropathy, unspecified, peripheral vascular disease of the lower extremities, coronary artery disease, erectile dysfunction, and cataracts. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to military service or herbicide exposure.

The veteran's diabetes mellitus is presumed to have been incurred in service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition. The claims for secondary service connection of hypertension, fatigue, shortness of breath, erectile dysfunction, peripheral neuropathy, tinea pedis and tinea capitis, and headaches are also granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected low back injury and right sciatic nerve radiculopathy, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher evaluations under VA rating criteria.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus with bilateral lower extremity neuropathy and ulcers of right foot, blindness of the left eye, shrapnel wounds to the right side of body, a cyst, and residuals of a collapsed lung, are not supported by evidence showing they were incurred or aggravated during active military service. The veteran's claims for reopening his right knee disability claim have also been denied.

The Board found no factually ascertainable evidence supporting TDIU prior to August 28, 2003. The veteran's claim for increased ratings was received on August 28, 2003.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss and small fiber neuropathy, polyneuropathy, and carpal tunnel syndrome. The decision found that there was no evidence linking the current conditions to service or any presumptive exposure basis.

The VA determined that the veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities is not related to his military service, including as due to his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have right upper extremity or left upper extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy, and thus service connection for these conditions is denied. The claims of service connection for PTSD and hypertension are also addressed in this decision.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for initial ratings of 20% and 10%, respectively, for prostate cancer and Type II diabetes with neuropathy associated with herbicide exposure. The conditions are rated based on their primary manifestations.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination and scheduling of the veteran for a Travel Board hearing.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have any of the claimed conditions attributable to military service.

The veteran's service connection claims for gout, residuals of stroke, right knee and lower leg disorder with bone prominence, low back disorder, neck disorder, peripheral neuropathy of the right hand, and PTSD were all denied. The Board found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his active duty.

The veteran's post-traumatic radial and ulnar nerve neuropathy of the right upper extremity was granted a 10 percent rating from April 9, 2004 to April 25, 2007. The issue regarding the period after April 26, 2007 is addressed in the REMAND portion.

The Board found that the veteran's peripheral neuropathy was not present in service or until many years after discharge, and is not related to his service-connected left ankle disability. Therefore, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Board finds that the veteran does not have service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, or peripheral neuropathy due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The presumption of herbicide exposure in Vietnam does not apply as there is no credible evidence showing he served in Vietnam during the Vietnam era.