Peripheral neuropathy Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for low back condition and bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy due to inadequate development of the record. The AOJ must obtain all outstanding medical records, including private treatment records from as early as 2005, and provide an adequate examination regarding the etiology of the Veteran’s diagnosed conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for right lower extremity neuropathy and denied service connection for a dental disability. The effective date of the reduction in rating from 100% to 30% for laryngeal and tonsillar cancer status post laryngeal mass excision and tonsillectomy is set as April 1, 2013.

The Veteran's service connection for left and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy due to Agent Orange exposure is granted. The case is remanded for an addendum opinion regarding the Veteran's hypertension.

The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy and hypertension have been granted increased ratings, with the right and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy receiving a 30 percent evaluation each. The hypertension has also received a 30 percent evaluation.

The VA denied compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for median mononeuropathy and right hand carpal tunnel syndrome due to a right hand carpal tunnel release surgery performed by the VA, finding that the additional disability was not caused by carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment or similar instance of fault on the part of VA.

The Board has determined that additional evidentiary development is necessary prior to the adjudication of the Veteran’s remaining claims on appeal, including his claim for service connection for a kidney condition.,Specifically, there are no records documenting the exact nephrectomy and no medical evidence linking it to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, peripheral neuropathy of the left hand, right hand, and left leg due to a duty-to-assist error. The Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents is being verified by the Joint Services Records Research Center.

The Board denied service connection for lower back injury, left upper extremity neuropathy, right upper extremity neuropathy, and left inguinal hernia. The Veteran did not have a current disability of these conditions at the time of his claims.,Service connection was not granted because there is no evidence of a current disability or continuity of symptomatology related to service.

The Board has granted earlier effective dates of May 19, 2015 for the service connection of right upper extremity, left upper extremity, right lower extremity, and left lower extremity diabetic neuropathy.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the submission of new and relevant evidence. The lung condition, collapsed lung claim is being reviewed again as there may be a link to asbestos exposure during service. The peripheral neuropathy claims are also being reviewed as they may be related to herbicide exposure in Vietnam.

The Veteran's CIDP of the bilateral upper and lower extremities is granted with a disability rating of 20 percent for the period prior to June 10, 2019.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer, hypertension, and peripheral neuropathy of both feet as a result of exposure to herbicides. The claims are being remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran served within 12 nautical miles of Vietnam during his service.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating of his low back disability and service connection for right ulnar neuropathy was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on limitation of motion or intervertebral disc syndrome, and also determined there was no link between the current condition and either service or the service-connected disabilities.

The claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II has been reopened and is being remanded.,Claims for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities are also being remanded. The claims for peripheral neuropathy of the right lower and left lower extremities will be addressed after resolving the diabetes mellitus, type II claim.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral knee osteoarthritis and left leg neuropathy, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his in-service injuries.

The Veteran's claim for revision of the December 1961 rating decision that denied service connection for residuals of aseptic meningitis based on clear and unmistakable error (CUE) was denied as there were no new facts or evidence presented to change the outcome.,The claims for earlier effective dates for bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy were also denied, as they were adjudicated and denied prior to August 21, 2008, and the Veteran did not file a notice of disagreement within one year.,The claim for TDIU prior to August 21, 2008 was denied due to the Veteran's current receipt of the maximum rating for residuals of meningitis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy due to presumed in-service herbicide exposure and/or service-connected diabetes mellitus Type II.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and diabetes, precluded him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment during the period from January 1, 2005 to April 23, 2012.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for TDIU, finding that his service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and consideration of new evidence.