Parkinson's disease decisions — 2018

The Board has granted service connection for Parkinson’s disease, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether the Veteran's Parkinson’s disease is related to his military service, specifically exposure to commercial herbicides. The appeal was decided in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's Parkinson's disease is presumed to have been caused by his exposure to herbicide agents during service, and thus he is granted service connection.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by the Appellant, and therefore the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss; increased ratings for Parkinson's disease and a low back disability; and TDIU prior to December 10, 2012 have been dismissed.

The Board has remanded the claims for Parkinson’s disease and cervical dystonia due to insufficient opinions regarding service connection based on presumed exposure to herbicides during active duty.

The Veteran's heart condition, claimed as Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, is not service-connected.,Bilateral shin splints are not service-connected.,Migraines are service-connected.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's neck, back, Parkinson’s disease, and traumatic brain injury disabilities. The claims are being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's death was not caused by service-connected conditions, and the evidence does not support a finding of herbicide exposure during his military service.,Neither the veteran nor his spouse were entitled to DIC benefits under section 1318 as he did not meet the criteria for total disability ratings.

The Veteran's facial masking due to Parkinson's disease is not rated higher than a compensable level.,Since March 6, 2018, the Veteran's tremors of the left upper extremity are rated at 40 percent. Prior to that date, they were rated at 20 percent.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for sleep apnea, back disability, and pain of upper and lower extremities to include fibromyalgia. The remaining issues (Parkinson's disease, TBI rating, and TDIU) were remanded.

The Veteran is eligible for financial assistance in the purchase of an automobile or other conveyance and/or adaptive equipment due to his service-connected Parkinson’s disease with neurocognitive disorder, which has rendered him wheelchair-bound.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient development regarding exposure to herbicide agents during active duty. The hypertension claim will be evaluated based on the likelihood of exposure and its association with herbicide exposure, while diabetes mellitus and Parkinson's disease are presumed associated with such exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of Parkinson's disease and that his symptoms are more likely related to non-service-connected conditions, such as PTSD. Therefore, service connection for Parkinson's disease is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury, Parkinson's disease, tremors of the left and right hands, and blurred vision. The decision is based on direct evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service.

Service connection for PVD of the bilateral lower extremities is granted. An initial compensable rating for balance impairment due to Parkinson’s disease is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations to determine the severity of his urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction, which may affect his Parkinson's disease rating.