The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected diabetic peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities does not warrant a higher disability rating as it is currently rated, and effective dates for increased ratings are moot due to the current effective date.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence shows mild incomplete paralysis in both lower extremities, which corresponds to the current 10% disability ratings assigned. The veteran's obesity contributed to his difficulty walking but did not affect the severity of the neuropathy itself.
- Claimed conditions
- Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy of the Left Lower Extremity, Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy of the Right Lower Extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 24, 2006
- Citation
- 0608519
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 195 · Granted: 24% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0608519.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for type II diabetes mellitus, diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, and diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran is granted eligibility for specially adapted housing due to a permanent and total disability involving the loss of use of both lower extremities, which precludes locomotion without the regular and constant use of assistive devices.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, and dismissed his appeals for ratings in excess of 20 percent for diabetic peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities and service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities due to untimely notice of disagreement.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him housebound or in need of regular aid and attendance prior to October 30, 2019. Therefore, entitlement to an effective date prior to that date for SMC at the housebound rate is denied.
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