Peripheral neuropathy Board decisions

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient examination reports and the need for further clarification of the current severity of the service-connected lower extremity diabetic femoral and sciatic nerve neuropathy.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and peripheral neuropathy of all four extremities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to December 5, 2014.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of compliance with prior remand directives and the need for a TDIU opinion. The Veteran is required to complete VA Form 21-8940, and any outstanding treatment records should be secured.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not render him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment, as his hearing loss, tinnitus, and Meniere’s disease did not prevent him from working as an attorney.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities, resulting in a grant of TDIU.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability associated with pain and weakness of the bilateral legs or left foot neuropathy, and thus service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a skin disorder and left lower extremity neuropathy, finding that there is no evidence of such conditions being related to his military service or herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the claims for kidney disease, hypertension, and peripheral and median neuropathy of the upper right and left extremities due to outstanding VA treatment records. The RO is instructed to obtain these records and provide a formal finding if they do not exist.

The Board denied higher ratings for the Veteran's bilateral lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy, sciatic nerve, as they did not meet the criteria for a rating greater than 10 percent prior to July 6, 2016 and greater than 20 percent after that date.

The Veteran's low back disorder is denied as the evidence does not show a relationship to service or arthritis manifested within one year of separation.,Anemia, middle finger left hand vascular calcification, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and an acquired psychiatric disorder are all remanded for further evaluation due to secondary service connection claims.,The Veteran's TDIU claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the above issues.

The Board has determined that remand is necessary to verify the Veteran's herbicide agent exposure and to obtain an addendum opinion regarding the etiology of his peripheral neuropathy.

The Board has granted service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, finding that the evidence is in equipoise that these conditions are related to the Veteran's active duty service, including exposure to herbicide agents like Agent Orange.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for diabetes mellitus, type II and peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities. The Veteran was currently rated at 20 percent for each condition.

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

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations, service connection, and other issues are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and consideration of new evidence.

The Board denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy, neck pain and headaches, and encephalomalacia as these conditions are not shown to be causally related to the Veteran's in-service meningitis.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disabilities, finding that they do not preclude him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss and shoulder conditions, did not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to determine the current severity and manifestations of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including right hand degenerative joint disease, thoracolumbar spine degenerative disc disease status post thoracic compression fracture, systemic hypertension, esophageal reflux and chronic gastritis, left leg neuropathy, and right leg neuropathy. The case will also be remanded to obtain VA medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of any sleep disorder, ulcerative colitis, and sinusitis/allergic rhinitis.

The Board denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities and left leg venous insufficiency, including as due to service-connected coronary artery disease. The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease was also remanded for a retrospective opinion on whether it worsened between July 2011 and his death in March 2019.