Peripheral neuropathy Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetes mellitus and its complications, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for lung cancer, diabetes mellitus, and associated diabetic polyneuropathy of multiple extremities due to potential exposure during service in the Southwest Asia theatre of operations. Additional medical opinions are needed regarding whether these conditions are related to such exposures.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for loss of use of bilateral upper extremities due to anterior cervical discectomy and fusion is denied, while the claim for loss of use of bilateral lower extremities is remanded.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection were dismissed. The claims of COPD and a chronic respiratory disorder other than COPD were withdrawn by the Veteran, while his claims for tinnitus, low back disorder, PN of the RUE, LUE, RLE, and LLE were denied.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 10 percent for left ankle shrapnel muscle injury and TDIU has been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a moderately-severe disability, and his service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied service connection for all claimed conditions, finding that the evidence did not support a link between any of these conditions and military service.

The Board has remanded the cases due to the need for updated VA treatment records.

The Board has granted service connection for neuropathy of the right upper extremity, left upper extremity, right lower extremity, and left lower extremity.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to July 19, 2012, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is being remanded due to the need for further consideration by the Director of Compensation and Pension Service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for type 2 diabetes, right and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy as secondary to type 2 diabetes, erectile dysfunction as secondary to type 2 diabetes, bilateral hearing loss, a right knee disorder, a left knee disorder, and an acquired psychiatric disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional development.,The Veteran's service records show he served as a jet engine mechanic at U-Tapao RTAFB in Thailand. He contends that his exposure to herbicide agents like Agent Orange during this time is related to his current conditions, but there is no evidence of such exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion and further development is needed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and the Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to support his claims. However, the Board found no evidence of a current disability or a nexus between any claimed conditions and military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to additional development being needed, including verification of herbicide exposure and VA examinations.

The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to determine its etiology.

The Board has remanded three issues: service connection for diabetes mellitus, service connection for erectile dysfunction (ED), and service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity. The primary issue is whether any service-connected disabilities caused or aggravated obesity, which in turn led to diabetes mellitus. If so, the examiner must determine if obesity was a substantial factor in causing ED and if it would have occurred without obesity.

The Veteran's right and left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, to include carpal tunnel syndrome, have been granted increased ratings of 40 percent each. The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity sciatic nerve has been granted an increased rating of 20 percent. The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity sciatic nerve and both lower extremity anterior crural nerves have not met criteria for higher ratings.

The Board has denied service connection for right ear hearing loss due to lack of evidence linking the condition to in-service noise exposure. The appeal for left ear hearing loss, gout, and peripheral neuropathy is remanded for additional development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for peripheral vascular disease was denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition.,The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied due to lack of evidence supporting a higher disability level.,The Veteran's claims for ratings in excess of 10 percent prior to January 28, 2022, for diabetic neuropathy of the right lower extremity and left lower extremity were also denied as there is no current diagnosis or evidence showing such severity.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Veteran was granted a TDIU from November 5, 2015.