Peripheral neuropathy Board decisions

The Board denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy due to Agent Orange exposure and PTSD. The veteran has filed a Notice of Disagreement, but the RO has not yet issued a Statement of the Case.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an effective date prior to September 27, 2002 for the grant of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. The criteria for establishing an earlier effective date were not met as it was not factually ascertainable that the veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him totally disabled within one year prior to September 27, 2002.

The VA denied the veteran's claims for increased disability evaluations for her service-connected recurrent back strain with neuropathy to left lower extremity, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation prior to September 26, 2003 and as of September 26, 2003.

The veteran's claim for increased ratings for his low back disability was denied. The Board found the evidence did not meet the criteria for an initial rating higher than 20 percent prior to September 20, 1999, or a rating higher than 40 percent as of that date.

The veteran's diabetes mellitus is currently rated at 20 percent, effective August 16, 2001. The RO also granted a 30 percent rating for coronary artery disease as secondary to diabetes mellitus, effective February 20, 2004.,The veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity is rated at 10 percent, and his left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is rated at 10 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy secondary to herbicide exposure, finding no current diagnosis of this condition and thus denying the claim.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including rheumatic fever with heart murmur, ear disability, left knee disability, residuals of a broken nose (including breathing problems and a fractured nasal bone), shortened right leg with back pain and neuropathy, and mental disability to include PTSD. The denial is based on lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated during service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current peripheral neuropathy and there is no evidence of herbicide exposure. Therefore, service connection for this condition cannot be granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for reimbursement of a computer and printer, as well as self-employment assistance. The VR&C found that reimbursement was not authorized under VA regulations due to lack of requirement by the law school and no evidence showing necessity for such items.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected right inguinal hernia and right ilioinguinal neuropathy do not warrant increased disability ratings as their symptoms are currently rated appropriately.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities were denied by the RO. The RO found that his service-connected conditions did not warrant a higher rating based on current medical evidence.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed non-specific polyneuropathy and low back disability are not service-connected, as there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent, the maximum available rating. The other claims for increased ratings are denied.

The Board has denied service connection for numbness of the right hand, left hand, and jaw disability. The claim for increased rating for residuals of SFWs of the legs and wrist was granted with a 10% rating. Service connection for tinea pedis remains denied.

The Board has granted a 30 percent evaluation for the veteran's residuals of frostbite of the right foot, which is the maximum available under Diagnostic Code 7122.

The veteran's claim for service connection is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and examinations.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, coronary artery disease (CAD), and bilateral lower extremity neuropathy as secondary to exposure to herbicides, specifically Agent Orange. The Board found that there was no evidence of such exposure in Vietnam and thus could not presume it.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining additional medical records. The veteran's claim of entitlement to an increased disability rating for his service-connected cervical spine disability is being considered, as well as whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen his previously denied claim of service connection for a bilateral shoulder disorder with neuropathy of the arms.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for frostbite or cold injury of the hands and feet, and granted service connection for peripheral neuropathy as a residual of cold injury. The decision is based on new evidence submitted by the veteran.

The Board denied service connection for an autoimmune disorder, a skin disorder, and peripheral neuropathy all claimed as secondary to exposure to Agent Orange. The veteran's claims were not supported by the evidence presented.