Peripheral neuropathy Board decisions

The veteran's disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly pension benefits based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another person or being housebound.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation based on a need for regular aid and attendance of another person, or being housebound.

The veteran's need for regular aid and attendance due to his severe psychiatric impairment, pain, nervousness, anxiety, and impairments of concentration and memory has been established. The Board finds that the evidence supports granting special monthly pension based on this need.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment, considering the impairment from the disorders and his educational and occupational background.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his low back and left knee disorders, finding that the evidence does not support a higher rating under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and peripheral neuropathy, both determined to be directly related to service. Service connection was also granted for asthma with a rating of 30 percent. The bipolar disorder issue is moot as service connection was granted on a direct basis.

The Board has granted a 40% rating for the veteran's service-connected chronic left forearm pain with left ulnar neuropathy, residuals of burns on the left arm and forearm.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for chronic peripheral neuropathy as residual to Agent Orange exposure, finding that there is no evidence of such condition during active duty or within one year after separation. The Board also found that the condition is not among those diseases presumed to be related to herbicide exposure.

The veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, low back pain, and peripheral neuropathy (due to exposure to herbicides) were granted. The claim for a right shoulder disorder was not claimed. No rating assigned as the issue is still pending.

The veteran's service-connected left hand disability is found to be proximately due to or the result of his current residuals of a fifth metacarpal fracture. His claim for an increased rating for laceration of the left hand has been granted with a 10% evaluation.

The Board has determined that the veteran's vision loss, which occurred after a hip surgery at a VA facility in December 1996, is compensable under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The Board has reopened the veteran's previously denied claim for service connection for a skin disability claimed as due to herbicide exposure. The veteran is now entitled to have his claims of service connection for peripheral neuropathy, muscle weakness, and soft tissue sarcoma reviewed.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities were evaluated based on the revised criteria effective January 12, 1998. Prior to this date, his residuals of bilateral frozen feet and cold injuries were not rated higher than 10 percent. Effective from January 12, 1998, he was granted separate 10 percent evaluations for each lower extremity due to peripheral neuropathy.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for postoperative peripheral neuropathy of the left ulnar nerve due to his failure to report for scheduled VA examinations.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and post-tibial nerve neuropathy, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The RO granted service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity as secondary to the service-connected right peroneal nerve paralysis with right foot drop, effective from July 14, 1987. The RO also granted an effective date of September 29, 1987 for loss of use of both lower extremities.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of December 14, 1993 for the award of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating for right peroneal neuropathy with associated footdrop and a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability due solely to service-connected disability. The maximum schedular evaluation of 40 percent is assigned for this condition.

The veteran's service-connected chronic peripheral neuropathy, Charcot-Marie Tooth, right and left lower extremities are rated at 30 percent each. The appeal for TDIU is granted as the veteran's combined disability rating of 60 percent includes an additional 10 percent due to bilateral factors.

The Board found that the veteran's conditions, including trigeminal neuralgia, multiple sclerosis (MS), arthritis of the lumbosacral spine, and peripheral neuropathy, were not incurred during military service as a result of herbicide exposure.