Peripheral neuropathy Board decisions

The Veteran's petition to reopen claims for left knee, bilateral hearing loss, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities have been granted. The claim for diabetes mellitus has been denied.,The Veteran's hypertension and erectile dysfunction claims are remanded.

Service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities is restored, effective November 1, 2019.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded as the previous VA examination did not consider the collective impact of all his service-connected disabilities on employment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities is aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II, and thus grants service connection for this condition. The Veteran does not have an immune deficiency syndrome or fibromyalgia as claimed.

The Board has granted a disability rating of 30 percent for the Veteran's service-connected neuropathy of the right upper extremity, finding that it is characterized as moderate incomplete paralysis.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left thumb and hand disability, right-sided head, neck, and shoulder disability, and bilateral lower extremity disability.,Specifically, the Board found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's time in service.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus type II is presumed to be related to herbicide exposure during service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current foot disabilities and his in-service left foot sprain. The Veteran is required to undergo a new VA examination to address these issues.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for DM, erectile dysfunction secondary to DM, peripheral neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities due to exposure to environmental contaminants, including herbicide agent exposure. The Veteran's representative provided evidence suggesting potential exposure during service to herbicides or agents akin to herbicides, which triggered VA’s duty to further develop the claims.

The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus has been granted service connection. The Board has remanded the issues of cataracts, hypertension, bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, and cervical spine disability for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to a duty to assist error. The Veteran must be provided with an appropriate VA medical opinion to clarify the etiology of his claimed conditions, including whether they are related to in-service herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus, heart disability and stroke, and bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities due to duty-to-assist errors. The Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents is not presumed as he did not serve in Vietnam or its surrounding areas. However, VA acknowledges potential exposure to various chemicals and toxins at Fort McClellan.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of all four extremities due to inadequate examination and failure to obtain an adequate etiology opinion.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a neurological disorder characterized as peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, including as due to Agent Orange exposure or as secondary to service-connected disease or injury, is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, finding that it did not manifest within one year after service discharge and is not otherwise related to his period of active duty.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient development and examination, including missing private treatment records and an addendum VA medical opinion for the low back disorder. The examiner must address the Veteran's lay statements regarding his in-service injuries and current symptoms.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea, did not reopen the claims for atrial fibrillation and CMT neuropathy due to lack of new and material evidence, and found that the Veteran's conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left knee disabilities, lung disability, heart disability, as well as upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathies. The claims are based on direct evidence of a relationship between the conditions and service.

The Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative arthritis was previously denied, but new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim. The issue is remanded for further development.,Service connection for bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy was denied due to lack of exposure to herbicides in service. Service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and coronary bypass surgery was also denied as there is no evidence of onset within a year of separation from service or causal relationship.,Service connection for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis was reopened based on new evidence suggesting an onset within one year of service. The Veteran's other conditions were not found to be related to service.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, left and right lower extremity diabetic neuropathy have been evaluated at 20 percent each. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher evaluation for these conditions.