Peripheral neuropathy Board decisions

The Veteran's service connection claims for ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus type II, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower and upper extremities are granted.,Service connection is also granted for stroke, endarterectomy of the carotid artery, and peripheral artery disease of the lower extremities due to herbicide exposure.

The Board has granted reopening of the previously denied claims for service connection for hypertension and tinea pedis, but denied reopening of the claim for morbid obesity with reduced vital capacity. The Veteran's asthma is rated at 30 percent, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy associated with diabetes mellitus prior to June 25, 2014 is rated at 10 percent, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy associated with diabetes mellitus prior to June 25, 2014 is rated at 10 percent, and diabetic nephropathy is rated at 100 percent. The claims for increased ratings are all denied.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral knee disability, erectile dysfunction, and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy as they are not related to the Veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with myositis.,There is no evidence showing that the Veteran's current conditions had their onset during service or are caused by his service-connected condition.

The Veteran's left radius fracture, status post open reduction internal fixation, is currently rated at 10 percent and the appeal for a higher rating has been denied.,The Veteran's left wrist strain is currently rated at 10 percent and the appeal for a higher rating has been denied.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is granted service connection. Service connection for scleroderma and diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities are granted, but a rating greater than 10 percent for type 2 diabetes mellitus and an initial compensable rating for left foot surgical scar remain denied.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to determine if new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim for service connection of diabetic retinopathy. The Veteran's claims for higher ratings, earlier effective dates, and TDIU are also remanded due to incomplete examinations.

The Veteran's right ankle disability was reduced from 20% to 10%, but the reduction is not proper. The RO has restored the 20% rating for the period between August 1, 2014 and December 18, 2014, and beginning March 1, 2015.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claims for service connection for IHD, DM II, Bladder Cancer, Renal Cell Carcinoma, and Bilateral Peripheral Neuropathy of the Lower Extremities due to exposure to herbicides (AO) and radiation.,A remand is required to determine if the Veteran had regular and repeated contact with C-123 aircraft known to have been used to spray an herbicide agent during the Vietnam era, as well as to verify his service at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas, and at Clear Air Force Station in Alaska.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination and obtaining relevant medical records.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's bilateral lower extremity neuropathy and acquired psychiatric disorder (adjustment disorder with anxiety and depressive mood) are related to his service-connected vitamin B12 deficiency, but further examination is needed to determine if these conditions are aggravated by the service-connected condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective dates have been remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for cold weather injury of the bilateral upper extremities and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, finding no current disability related to these conditions.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims of service connection for GERD, right and left hand peripheral neuropathy, right and left shoulder disability, right and left ankle disability, and residuals of a branchial cleft cyst excision. The Board also granted service connection for a low back disability (moderate spondylosis) and associated right and left lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Veteran's left and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy were granted increased ratings of 40 percent effective May 8, 2016.,An earlier effective date for the TDIU was denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for further development and consideration of whether a TDIU is warranted based on service-connected disabilities, including diabetes mellitus, Type II with diabetic retinopathy of the left eye and erectile dysfunction; and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities. The Veteran's partial amputations of the feet are also being evaluated.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to December 9, 2019 was denied as his hearing loss did not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating.,For the period since December 9, 2019, the Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for bilateral hearing loss was also denied. The evidence showed that his hearing loss had improved to Level IV in the right ear and Level V in the left ear, warranting only a 10% disability rating.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative changes of the right elbow prior to December 10, 2019 was denied as there was no evidence of limitation of motion or other impairment that would justify a compensable disability rating. The RO assigned a noncompensable disability rating effective September 2015.,For the period since December 10, 2019, the Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for degenerative changes of the right elbow was denied as his range of motion did not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The RO assigned a 20% disability rating effective September 2015.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy was granted, indicating that it began during active service.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, secondary peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, prostate cancer, and Parkinson’s disease. However, due to a lack of evidence linking erectile dysfunction to these conditions, the case is remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy and restoration of a separate 10 percent rating under DC 5309-7805 for the right hand disability. The Veteran's claim for TDIU is also being remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for squamous cell carcinoma has been reopened and granted. The claims for increased ratings of peripheral neuropathy, sleep apnea, atrial fibrillation, and hypertension have all been granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for coronary artery disease, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, all claimed as due to herbicide exposure. The decision is based on the presumption that veterans who served in Vietnam during the specified time period are presumed exposed to herbicides.