The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral leg peripheral neuropathy and bilateral hand arthritis and neuralgia are not directly related to his service, including as residuals of frostbite. The claims for service connection have been denied.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found no evidence of frostbite injuries to the hands in service and concluded that the current disabilities are not as likely as not directly related to the Veteran's history of cold exposure injury.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral leg peripheral neuropathy, degenerative arthritis and neuralgia of the hands
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 9, 2009
- Citation
- 0942620
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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0942620.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional examination and opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, excluding diabetes and bilateral leg peripheral neuropathy, render him in need of regular aid and attendance. The Veteran is currently receiving SMC under Subsection (l) based on the need for aid and attendance.
- Denied
The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings of special monthly compensation (SMC) under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(r)(1) and/or 38 U.S.C. § 1114(r)(2) was denied as he does not meet the criteria for SMC based on his service-connected conditions.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
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