Peripheral neuropathy Board decisions

The veteran's claim for specially adapted housing or special home adaptation grant was denied as he does not meet the basic eligibility requirements due to lack of service-connected residuals affecting balance and propulsion.

The Board found that the veteran's current disabilities, including degenerative joint disease of the thoracic spine, lumbar disc disease with lower extremity neuropathy, torn medial meniscus and chondromalacia, left knee, and bilateral carpel tunnel syndrome, are not related to his service. The examiner opined that these conditions were due to post-service occupational stress.

The veteran's right shoulder sfw residuals are rated at 40 percent, effective April 15, 2000.,Right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy is rated at 30 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran is unemployable due to his service-connected physical disabilities, and thus, a grant of a TDIU is warranted.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete compliance with a previous remand order.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current bilateral peripheral neuropathy and therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection and secondary service connection of degenerative joint disease with neuropathy, status post lumbar laminectomy, as it found no evidence linking this condition to his service-connected lumbosacral strain.

The Board found no evidence of diabetes mellitus or neuropathy of the feet in service, and there is insufficient medical evidence to link these conditions to service. The veteran's current disabilities are not presumed due to Agent Orange exposure.

The veteran's claims for service connection for a left foot or ankle disability and an increased rating for his low back disorder were denied. The Board found no evidence of chronic left foot or ankle injury in service, but did find that the current left peroneal nerve axonal neuropathy is not related to service. For the low back disorder, the Board noted that the veteran's current symptoms are consistent with DJD and a previous diagnosis of arthritis of the lumbar spine.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and increased ratings, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for such awards.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back disorder and peripheral neuropathy were not incurred or aggravated during active military service.

The veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and thus the case is dismissed.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bladder carcinoma, cardiovascular disorder, left eye disorder, and neuropathy of both legs. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to service or secondary to cigarette smoking.

The Board dismissed the veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his right and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy as he did not file a substantive appeal. The diabetes mellitus claim was granted with an initial rating of 40 percent.

The veteran's claims for service connection were denied as his conditions are not presumed to be due to herbicide exposure, and he does not have a service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and ischemic optic neuropathy of the right eye were not incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board has granted a 40 percent rating for the veteran's service-connected residuals of right traumatic amputation of little finger distal phalanx, fracture of index finger distal phalanx, and fracture of distal phalanx of base of right thumb with traumatic arthritis and autonomic neuropathy.

The veteran's cervical neuritis of the right arm, sciatic neuropathy of the right leg, and cervical neuropathy of the left arm have been granted increased ratings to 40 percent each.,These increases are based on current medical evidence showing moderate to severe sensory disturbances with some organic changes in all three conditions.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus did not cause or contribute to his death due to a fatal pulmonary embolus. The underlying cause of his death was chronic polyneuropathy with quadriparesis, which is unrelated to his service.

The RO denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy, including as secondary to herbicide exposure. The case is being remanded for further action.