Citation Nr: 19129489
Decision Date: 04/17/19	Archive Date: 04/16/19

DOCKET NO. 18-07 285
DATE:	April 17, 2019

REMANDED

Entitlement to service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity, claimed as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II, is remanded.

Entitlement to service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity, claimed as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II, is remanded.

REASONS FOR REMAND

The Veteran served on active duty from June 1969 to June 1971.

This matter is before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a December 2017 rating decision issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in Muskogee, Oklahoma.

1. Entitlement to service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity, claimed as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II is remanded.

2. Entitlement to service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity, claimed as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II is remanded.

The Veteran contends that he is entitled to service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the left and right upper extremities, as the claimed condition is the result of his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.  In an August 2017 diabetes disability benefits questionnaire, the examiner opined that the Veteran had diabetic nephropathy caused by his diabetes mellitus.  In an October 2017 VA examination, the Veteran was diagnosed with diabetic neuropathy of the lower extremities.  The examiner noted that the Veteran did not have diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities.  The examiner reasoned that because the Veteran did not have complaints of diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, the Veteran did not have peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities.  In a December 2017 statement, the Veteran indicated that he experiences diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities.  More specifically, he stated that he has stabbing pains in his arms and back area.  

The October 2017 VA examiner provided a negative opinion based on lack of diabetic peripheral neuropathy complaints for the upper extremities.  Since that time, the Veteran has provided statements complaining of peripheral neuropathy in the upper extremities.  The nature of the Veteran’s condition may have changed.  As a result, a new examination is necessary to determine if the Veteran has a current diagnosis of diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the left and right upper extremity.

The matters are REMANDED for the following action:

1.  Update VA treatment records.

2.  Thereafter, schedule the Veteran for a VA examination to determine the etiology of any peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities.  The examiner must review the claim file and must note that review in the report.  The examiner should provide a rationale for all opinions provided.  



The examiner should opine whether it is at least as likely as not (50 percent or greater probability) that the Veteran has peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, and if so, whether it is at least as likely as not that the disability is caused or aggravated by the service-connected diabetes mellitus.

 

Nathaniel J. Doan

Veterans Law Judge

Board of Veterans’ Appeals

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	K. D. Cross, Associate Counsel