Peripheral neuropathy Board decisions

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for alcoholism as secondary to PTSD, left hand ulnar neuropathy, tinea pedis (claimed as jungle rot of the feet), and jungle rot of the right hand. The evidence did not establish a current disability or a nexus between these conditions and service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of March 1, 2004 for a grant of Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU). The decision found that it was not factually ascertainable prior to March 1, 2004 that the veteran was unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected conditions did not cause his death, and there was no evidence to support a claim under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for VA treatment resulting in his death.

The veteran's appeal for service connection for peripheral neuropathy, claimed as due to herbicide exposure, has been dismissed because the appellant died during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board found that the veteran's bilateral peripheral neuropathy, bilateral peripheral vascular disease, and mild right peroneal nerve palsy with foot drop are not caused or aggravated by service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity peripheral vascular disease, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction. The conditions are not found to be related to his active service or directly caused by his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and following some type of substantially gainful employment, thus the claim for TDIU is denied.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluation, compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151, and TDIU are being remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the cause of his service-connected disabilities and the impact on employment.

The Board has determined that the veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities is due to his in-service exposure to Agent Orange, warranting service connection.,Regarding bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, while not present during service or for many years thereafter, the evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection.

The veteran's PTSD was granted service connection and assigned a 50 percent rating effective January 20, 2001. The RO increased the rating for residuals of a gunshot wound to the left buttock from noncompensable to 40 percent effective September 29, 2004. A separate 10 percent rating was assigned for sciatic neuropathy, left.

The veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 40 percent for diabetes mellitus, type II, with mild peripheral neuropathy and hypertensive vascular disease is being remanded to obtain additional development including medical examinations.

The veteran's claim for certificates of eligibility for specially adapted housing and earlier effective dates for service connection and SMC based on housebound status has been granted.

The veteran's cervical spine degenerative disc disease and degenerative arthritis have been rated at 60 percent since July 10, 2004. The lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and degenerative arthritis have been rated at 40 percent since October 4, 1996.

The veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings for peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities were denied as there is no competent evidence linking these conditions to his active duty or to diabetes mellitus.

The veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus (with hypertension, peripheral neuropathy, rectal abscess, retinopathy, and renal insufficiency) is being remanded due to outstanding Federal records and private medical records.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities are not shown to be productive of a disability picture that precludes him from securing and following some form of substantially gainful employment consistent with her education and work experience.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral leg disorder and neck disorder are not service-connected, with the exception of a right lower extremity sciatica which is secondary to his service-connected low back strain. The claim for a neck disorder was denied as there is no evidence supporting its secondary relationship to the service-connected low back strain.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hypertension, peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, and erectile dysfunction are not service-connected. The case is being remanded for further development to obtain updated VA medical records and for a specialized examination in endocrinology.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and verifying in-service stressors for PTSD. The case will be readjudicated after these actions.

The Board denied service connection for COPD as the veteran did not incur COPD in service and it is not related to his presumed exposure to herbicides.,Service connection was also denied for Chronic Demyelating Polyneuropathy due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service.