Peripheral neuropathy Board decisions

The Board denied entitlement to Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) on the basis of service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death due to septic shock resulting from acute respiratory failure, healthcare-associated pneumonia, and systolic heart failure. The Board found that there was no evidence linking a service-connected disability to the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for various conditions, including cervical spine strain, prostate cancer, peripheral neuropathy, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, a chronic disability manifested by nausea, dizziness, hot flashes, and loss of appetite, incontinence, and impotence. The remand requires further development regarding the Veteran's alleged exposure to herbicide agents during service.

The Board denied service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, hypertension with headaches, skin cancer on shoulders, back and face, bilateral eye disability (cataracts and diabetic retinopathy), peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, porphyria cutanea tarda, and coronary artery disease. The reasons were that there was no evidence to support these conditions being related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for acid reflux and migraine headaches, both linked to PTSD. Service connection was denied for melanoma, diabetes, prostate disorder, bilateral upper and lower extremity neuropathy.,Service connection is not established for melanoma due to lack of a current diagnosis.

The Board denied a higher initial rating of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus, finding that the Veteran's condition required only restricted diet and an oral glycemic agent during the period on appeal.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete records and to obtain Social Security Administration (SSA) and private treatment records.

The Board has denied the Veteran's request to restore a 30% evaluation for residuals of left ankle sprain tarsal tunnel syndrome with sural neuropathy, finding that his disability materially improved and was expected to be maintained under ordinary conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including pneumonia, right knee disability, sleep apnea, peripheral neuropathies, and other disabilities, have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection for any of these conditions.,Service connection was not granted because there is no medical evidence linking the current diagnoses to service or secondary to service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's sinusitis, PVD of the lower extremities, and peripheral neuropathy were not found to be related to service or service-connected conditions. The Board denied all claims.

The Board has denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right and left upper extremities, finding that there is no current diagnosis of diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The appeal was remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding hypertension and sleep disorder.,The Veteran's total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities remains in dispute.

The Veteran's intractable headaches and peripheral neuropathy are not service-connected as they did not develop during or as a result of his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II; polyneuropathy of the left and right lower extremities; and coronary artery disease due to herbicide agent exposure in Thailand. The Veteran's claims are denied as he did not meet the criteria for secondary service connection.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral upper and lower extremity neuropathy as there is no evidence of herbicide exposure or a diagnosis within one year after separation from service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates are being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records from Aultman Hospital.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability was not granted an increased rating in excess of 10 percent prior to February 16, 2012. The issue of a higher rating for the right upper extremity disability is still pending and will be remanded.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy may be related to his service at Camp Lejeune, but needs further examination and review of submitted documents.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, with diabetes mellitus, type II and its associated peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities as well as amputation of the right leg below the knee being found to be related to his in-service herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinion regarding whether the Veteran's bilateral peripheral neuropathy is proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected knee disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient opinions regarding service connection for sleep apnea, including whether it is related to PTSD, diabetes, and/or peripheral neuropathy. The Veteran's representative provided additional medical literature that suggests a possible link between PTSD and sleep apnea.

The Board has determined that there is at least equipoise evidence to support the Veteran's claim of service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral feet, and thus grants the claim.