Peripheral neuropathy Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's polyneuropathy of the feet, which is believed to be due to frostbite sustained during his military service in Korea.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for traumatic arthritis of the right ankle with limitation of motion was granted, and a 10 percent disability rating was assigned effective June 9, 2003.,Service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities was also granted, but no specific effective date is provided as it pertains to an earlier claim that became final.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations of diabetes mellitus, type II and clinical diabetic peripheral neuropathy of both the right and left legs are being remanded due to a need to obtain his Social Security Administration (SSA) records.

The Board has remanded the claims for arthritis of hands and feet, chronic toenail fungal infection, and hepatitis C due to exposure to cold weather in service. The veteran's claim for diabetic neuropathy is denied as there is no evidence linking it to active service or a service-connected condition.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral peripheral neuropathy and an increased evaluation for residuals of a fracture of the left femur with left knee pain, finding no evidence linking these conditions to service or his service-connected left femur disability.

The Board denied the veteran's increased rating claim for his service-connected median/ulnar neuropathy of the left hand, currently evaluated as 20 percent disabling.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for various conditions, including service connection and increased ratings. The appeals were not successful in all cases.

The Board has granted service connection for chloracne, peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, and an eye disorder (claimed as failing eyesight). The effective date is not specified.

The Board finds that the veteran does not require aid and attendance of another person due to his disabilities, including diabetic retinopathy which resulted in blindness in one eye. Therefore, he is denied special monthly pension based on need for aid and attendance.

The Board found that an earlier effective date for the award of non-service-connected disability pension is not warranted, as there was no prior informal or formal claim received by VA prior to November 13, 2001.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a TDIU based on service-connected disabilities, finding that his combined rating did not meet the schedular requirements and that he was not unemployable due to these conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities, and therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, currently rated at 40 percent disabling, does not warrant an increased rating.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected optic neuropathy of the left eye is currently evaluated as 30 percent disabling and denied an increased evaluation.

The VA has denied the veteran's claims for higher disability ratings for his service-connected post-traumatic left long thoracic neuropathy, internal derangement of the left shoulder, and residuals of post-traumatic synovitis with carpal tunnel syndrome of the left wrist.

The Board has granted service connection for a heart disability, GERD, and COPD as secondary to the veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus. The claim for peripheral neuropathy is pending, and obesity does not meet VA criteria for an injury.

The veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for Type II Diabetes Mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the arms and legs, and bilateral proliferative diabetic retinopathy were denied. The veteran was also denied service connection for a stroke secondary to his diabetes.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, headaches, and a low back disorder, all claimed as secondary to exposure to Agent Orange. The appeals were based on presumptive service connection.

The Board found that the ischemic optic neuropathy of the right eye was not caused by VA carelessness, negligence, or fault in prescribing medication at the Ann Arbor VAMC in early 2001.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and readjudicating his claims of service connection for left leg burn scars and peripheral neuropathy.