Peripheral neuropathy Board decisions

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the left and right hands due to insufficient reasons provided in the previous decision. The Veteran's complaints of numbness, swelling, and tingling during service and post-service must be addressed in a new VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities as they are not related to service or a service-connected disability.

Service connection is granted for OSA as secondary to service-connected PTSD and MDD with an alcohol abuse disorder.,Service connection is granted for RLS as secondary to service-connected OSA.

The Board has granted service connection for right wrist osteoarthritis, right hand strain, and a right upper extremity neurological disability (carpal tunnel syndrome and ulnar neuropathy) as these conditions are proximately due to the Veteran's service-connected left wrist disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's ability to work due to his service-connected disabilities, specifically neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities. The Veteran is unable to engage in sedentary employment due to these conditions.

The Veteran's facial lesion is rated at 30 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The Board found that the evidence did not show scar with visible or palpable tissue loss and either gross distortion or asymmetry of two features or paired sets of features (nose, chin, forehead, eyes (including eyelids), ears (auricles), cheeks, lips) as required for a 50 percent rating.,The Veteran's service-connected disabilities include PTSD rated at 50%, Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy rated at 40%, and Facial Lesion rated at 30%. The combined evaluation is 90%.

The Board has remanded the case for a supplemental medical opinion regarding the Veteran's eye disorders, which were diagnosed during service and may be related to exposure to herbicide agents. The examiner is asked to provide additional rationale in support of their opinions.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70% since August 13, 2014. His peripheral neuropathy of bilateral lower extremities has not been found to be related to service or Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development to clarify whether the Veteran's diabetes may have aggravated his carpal tunnel syndrome or any other upper neurologic condition, and to determine if he has a diagnosis of neuropathy of the upper extremities related to his service-connected diabetes.

The appeal for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities was granted in a March 2020 Board decision and dismissed as there are no remaining questions to be decided.

The Veteran's right and left lower extremity diabetic neuropathy are currently rated at 20 percent each, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.,Effective September 15, 2017 to September 18, 2019, the Veteran was granted TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for tension headaches, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy of various extremities due to inadequate rationales in the previous VA examinations. The Veteran will need to undergo new VA examinations to determine the current severity of her tension headaches, etiology of her diabetes mellitus, and nature and etiology of any diagnosed peripheral neuropathies.

The Board denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, finding no evidence to support a diagnosis or relationship with military service. The claim for reopening of service connection for lumbar spine disability was granted due to new and material evidence.

The Board has remanded the claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and neuropathy. The case is now before the undersigned for further development.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary to address the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating of his various conditions, including those related to his left leg thrombophlebitis with PVD.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral foot neuropathy due to cold weather exposure during service, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for tension headaches was denied as the evidence did not show very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability.,The Veteran's anxiety disorder was rated at 50 percent, which is the highest schedular rating available under Diagnostic Code 9413.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings and service connection are remanded due to inadequate examination reports. The Veteran needs new examinations to assess the severity of his ischemic heart disease, peripheral vascular disease (PVD), and peripheral neuropathy in the lower extremities.

The Board has found that the Veteran's hypertension, peripheral neuropathy of bilateral lower extremities, and diabetic retinopathy of the left eye are related to herbicide exposure during service. However, due to insufficient nexus opinions provided by VA examiners, a remand is required for further examination and opinion.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records from his National Guard and Army Reserve periods of service. The claims will be returned for further development.