Nerve Damage

[COOL BREEZE]

I currently have a claim for bilateral nerve damage for my feet at the rating board. The VA failed to rated this last time around, left it out. I had a foot doctor at the VA say I have this-documented through many visits. I am rated a 0% for feet problems, and am wondering how this could possibly be linked together. A recent nerve conduction test revealed that I have nerve damage as well. Since this doctor stated there is only 3 ways you can get this-

1. diabetic

2. pre-diabetic'

3. Being an alcohlic

Can someone please help me on input on this issue. Also the doctor at the VA had me get a MRI for my neck as I have severe pain. This issue was rated at 0% years ago, and a recent claim denied a increase as medical issues that happened after military service(whip-lash injuries_ were not related to neck injuries during service. I have constant severe pain daily now. Therefore the doctor ordered the nerve conduction test and the MRI. Will these results help me on the nerve damage claim for the feet? Can you only get this for feet only? When i originally filed this claim-it was only me feet. Now it has spread to both legs and arms. And I am not diabetic! If they rated this, then I can file a new claim for secondary as it is not just the feet. Thank You!

[sharon]

Get your doctor to make the connection and file a claim for them as secondary conditions.

Edited February 10, 2011 by sharon

[oldman273]

I currently have a claim for bilateral nerve damage for my feet at the rating board. The VA failed to rated this last time around, left it out. I had a foot doctor at the VA say I have this-documented through many visits. I am rated a 0% for feet problems, and am wondering how this could possibly be linked together. A recent nerve conduction test revealed that I have nerve damage as well. Since this doctor stated there is only 3 ways you can get this-

1. diabetic

2. pre-diabetic'

3. Being an alcohlic

Can someone please help me on input on this issue. Also the doctor at the VA had me get a MRI for my neck as I have severe pain. This issue was rated at 0% years ago, and a recent claim denied a increase as medical issues that happened after military service(whip-lash injuries_ were not related to neck injuries during service. I have constant severe pain daily now. Therefore the doctor ordered the nerve conduction test and the MRI. Will these results help me on the nerve damage claim for the feet? Can you only get this for feet only? When i originally filed this claim-it was only me feet. Now it has spread to both legs and arms. And I am not diabetic! If they rated this, then I can file a new claim for secondary as it is not just the feet. Thank You!

Hey Cool Breeze, I agree with sharon you have to get a Doctor to say your nerves are secondary to your My question is was there an injury to your back /strain fall anything involving your back? reason being I had a few documented injuries in service. Many years later I had this same problem with nerve damage as well but it was the injury to my spine causing my back to go buck wild. I also had the nerve conduction test everyone said it hurt my damage is so sever I never even felt the test. Hope this helps. I am not a Doctor just another vet if you can get it tied in with something SC you are better off. Try going to the VA website and looking up cases with your foot issues and see. If you can get to a foot doctor (Civilian) and see if your feet problems could have altered your gait causing your back knees instability if he says that again you have a fighting chance. Also if you have your SMR from service go over them with a fine tooth comb my lawyers found tons of mistakes the VA made with most of my claims and the positive evidence could be there. Just a thought hope it helps hang in there and please if you can take it one day at a time this crap will cause you more stress than it is worth.. Adios..

[COOL BREEZE]

Hey Cool Breeze, I agree with sharon you have to get a Doctor to say your nerves are secondary to your My question is was there an injury to your back /strain fall anything involving your back? reason being I had a few documented injuries in service. Many years later I had this same problem with nerve damage as well but it was the injury to my spine causing my back to go buck wild. I also had the nerve conduction test everyone said it hurt my damage is so sever I never even felt the test. Hope this helps. I am not a Doctor just another vet if you can get it tied in with something SC you are better off. Try going to the VA website and looking up cases with your foot issues and see. If you can get to a foot doctor (Civilian) and see if your feet problems could have altered your gait causing your back knees instability if he says that again you have a fighting chance. Also if you have your SMR from service go over them with a fine tooth comb my lawyers found tons of mistakes the VA made with most of my claims and the positive evidence could be there. Just a thought hope it helps hang in there and please if you can take it one day at a time this crap will cause you more stress than it is worth.. Adios..

I am 20% for my back, and a comp exam mentioned something about gaited walk. I only filed the claim for nerve damage for my feet as the VA foot doctor stated i had nerve damage. Just wondering if the rater will put this together themselves or what. I plan on getting a copy of the nerve conduction test done the other day to see what it says. If its helpful, then I'll send a copy to the ratig board as additional medical evidence. Now since the claim went from development to the rating board where it has been for a few months, I wonder if that will hold up the claim-if they send it back to the development for another delay? Also have a 0% for cervical which I have a NOD on.

[bakerkd]

"Since this doctor stated there is only 3 ways you can get this- 1. diabetic 2. pre-diabetic 3. Being an alcohlic"

If your Doctor said that i would say get a 2nd opinion and look for diplomas on the wall. I could probably name a dozen ways to develop nerve problems in your feet without trauma, diabetes or alcoholism and I haven't been to med school. I suffer from Peripheral neuropathy and it usually, but doesnt always, start in the feet. Mine started in my arms, then eventually feet

[john999]

PN can be caused by exposure to chemicals (agent orange) and to injuries to the spine. I have never heard it being related to alcoholism. I think that doctor is trying to invent a reason to discourage your claim. I bet he thinks most vets are drunks.

[COOL BREEZE]

PN can be caused by exposure to chemicals (agent orange) and to injuries to the spine. I have never heard it being related to alcoholism. I think that doctor is trying to invent a reason to discourage your claim. I bet he thinks most vets are drunks.

Yep! This was outsourced to another hospital-non VA hospital. A google of this issue did state PN could be caused by alcoholism. I used to work in a paint locker-mixing and issuing out various toxic paints. And working in the Navy-all I did was paint the ship. In fact, one time we were ordered to paint our berthing area without no respirator mask-these paints are very toxic as well!