The Board found that the veteran's current bilateral lower extremity disability, diagnosed as sensory axonal polyneuropathy, was not incurred in or aggravated by service and could not be presumed to have been incurred during such service due to exposure to herbicides. The preponderance of evidence did not support a finding of direct causation.
The deciding factor: The veteran's current bilateral lower extremity disability is attributed to vitamin B-12 deficiency, which was diagnosed many years after discharge from service and without any link to active duty service or Agent Orange exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- Peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 23, 2006
- Citation
- 0608386
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and the need for additional medical opinions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of both upper and lower extremities due to a need for further clarity on the nature and etiology of the Veteran's conditions.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected conditions of CAD, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, right and left foot disabilities with toe amputations, right and left leg scars, knee disability, and altered gait due to a need for further development.
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