Peripheral neuropathy Board decisions

The Veteran's appeals for various conditions and ratings have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeals. Service connection has been granted for PTSD with a rating of 70 percent effective April 22, 2013.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a disability of the bilateral lower extremities and a lung disorder, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for peripheral neuropathy due to Agent Orange exposure, as the current medical opinion is inadequate and does not address all relevant factors.

The Board dismissed the claim for an earlier effective date than May 20, 2005 for the granting of service connection for advanced optic neuropathy as the July 2020 rating decision granted an earlier effective date of December 29, 1976 which satisfied the Veteran's appeal.

The Veteran's service connection for diabetes mellitus type II is granted. The case is remanded for further action on the claim of service connection for bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, as secondary to his service-connected diabetes.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The Board found that the preponderance of evidence is against a higher rating for tinnitus, left upper extremity radicular neuropathy, vascular headaches, epididymitis and testicle cyst condition, external hemorrhoids, and left arm scars. Service connection was granted for PTSD.

The Veteran's diabetic retinopathy has been rated based on visual acuity and field loss, resulting in a combined rating of 50 percent since February 17, 2017.,Diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction is remanded due to the need for an addendum opinion addressing hospitalizations for diabetic ketoacidosis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's erectile dysfunction is service connected and his entitlement to SMC at the housebound rate from March 23, 2015, is granted. The issue of peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities remains pending as it is inextricably intertwined with the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under the provisions of 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for nerve damage in lower back and lower extremities due to cholesterol medicine (statins) has been denied as there is no evidence of carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment or similar instance of fault on VA's part.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to August 10, 2017.

The Veteran's bilateral foot disabilities are found to be at least as functionally impaired, if not worse, than a person who has adequately functioning prosthetic devices following amputation at the ankle level. As such, he is granted a 100 percent disability rating for loss of use of both feet.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including right knee replacement and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment. The Board granted a TDIU based on this finding.

The Veteran's service-connected right and left lower extremity sciatic nerve diabetic peripheral neuropathy are currently rated at 40 percent each, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's basal cell and squamous cell skin carcinoma, psoriasis, inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, essential tremor, and cataracts with detached retinas due to exposure to ionizing radiation during his military service. The decision is based on a finding of new and material evidence.

The Board has remanded the case for further evidentiary development, including an addendum to a previous VA opinion regarding whether the Veteran's right shoulder disability is aggravated by his service-connected right wrist/CTS.

The Veteran's headaches, diagnosed as tension headaches, are granted as secondary to his service-connected PTSD.,Service connection for tinnitus is denied.

The Veteran's service connection claim for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine was denied as there is no evidence that it became manifest in service or within a year after separation.,Service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the left and right upper extremities, including as secondary to service-connected degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, was also denied due to lack of medical evidence linking these conditions to service or service-connected disabilities.,The Veteran's radiculopathy of the lower extremities, which is now considered service connected, was granted. The Board found that the symptoms were related to his lumbar spine disability and not directly related to service.

The Veteran's right hand peripheral neuropathy is rated at 30 percent from October 13, 2015. The Board found that a higher rating was not warranted for either period.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is denied as he has been consistently engaged in substantially gainful employment throughout the relevant period on appeal.

The Veteran's claim for service connection is being remanded due to the submission of new and material evidence. The claims for peripheral neuropathy, inflammatory polyarthralgia as secondary to peripheral neuropathy, and sicca syndrome as secondary to peripheral neuropathy are also being remanded.