Peripheral neuropathy Board decisions

The Veteran's PTSD and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities are being remanded for further development due to incomplete examinations and conflicting evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) because his service-connected disabilities did not render him incapable of working.

The Board denied service connection for right upper extremity neuropathy, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic fatigue syndrome due to lack of evidence supporting a nexus to service.

The Veteran's TDIU claim period from October 28, 2011 to February 1, 2012 is moot due to the combined schedular rating of 100 percent for all disabilities. The Board denied an earlier effective date prior to August 1, 2013 as there was no factual basis to determine that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unemployable during this period.

The Veteran's skin cancer disability was not shown in service, did not manifest to a compensable degree within one year of service separation, and is not otherwise related to service.,The Veteran does not have a current peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities disability.,The Veteran does not have a current peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical records and a need for further development. The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, which may be related to herbicide exposure or secondary to his diabetes, is being returned to the AOJ for additional information and evidence.

Service connection for glaucoma is denied.,An effective date prior to February 22, 2017 for the award of service connection for major depressive disorder with anxious distress disorder is denied.,An effective date of August 9, 2015 (but no earlier) for the award of service connection for diabetic retinopathy is granted, subject to regulations governing the payment of monetary awards.,Entitlement to an initial compensable rating for diabetic retinopathy is denied.,Entitlement to a rating in excess of 20 percent for type 2 diabetes mellitus is denied.,Entitlement to a rating in excess of 20 percent (prior to February 15, 2017) and in excess of 40 percent (from February 15, 2017) for left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is denied.,Entitlement to a rating in excess of 20 percent (prior to February 15, 2017) and in excess of 40 percent (from February 15, 2017) for right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is denied.,An effective date of August 9, 2015 (but no earlier) for the award of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU rating) is granted, subject to regulations governing the payment of monetary awards.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were partially granted, with a rating higher than 20 percent denied for lumbar spine stenosis and a remand ordered for further examination to address the right leg peripheral neuropathy. The RLE neurologic claudication claim was not addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and other conditions were denied. The case was remanded for further development on several issues.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of his traumatic neuropathy, radial nerve, right wrist disability was denied by the Board. The condition is currently rated at 50 percent and no higher.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings and TDIU prior to October 1, 2018 is denied. The Board has ordered additional examinations for the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy and neurogenic bladder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities (secondary to diabetes), and TDIU due to his service-connected conditions. The issues are related to in-service herbicide exposure which is not fully verified.,A rating decision denying a higher rating for hemorrhoids remains unchanged.

The Veteran's appeals regarding whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claims for service connection for depression, right upper extremity neuropathy, and left upper extremity neuropathy have all been dismissed.,The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 10 percent for residuals, status post left knee medial meniscectomy is remanded.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for right leg tibial neuropathy, finding the evidence did not support such an increase.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable, as he continues to operate his own bingo supply business and only missed one week of work in the past year. The evidence does not support a finding of marginal employment.

The Board has dismissed the claim for service connection for bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy as secondary to service-connected DM-II due to a full grant of the benefit sought on appeal. The remaining issues have been remanded for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left-sided neuropathy condition, finding that it began during his active service and is related to in-service chemical exposure. The claim for a chronic sinus disorder was not addressed.

The Board has determined that the remand directives have not been substantially complied with and therefore another remand is required. The case will be returned to the Board after compliance with appellate procedures.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus and related neuropathy conditions have been granted a temporary increased rating of 40 percent from June 7, 2017 to November 5, 2019. Prior to this period, the Veteran's diabetes mellitus was rated at 20 percent, while his diabetic peripheral neuropathy has not met criteria for higher ratings.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development and the need for a new VA examination. The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II, along with its complications such as neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities and hypertension, will be evaluated.