The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for SMC due to loss of use of the right leg is denied. The issue of service connection for neuropathy of the upper extremities was dismissed as the appellant withdrew it.
The deciding factor: The Veteran submitted a claim for SMC under 38 CFR § 3.350 in November 1997, which was initially denied due to lack of evidence showing loss of use of the right leg. The effective date for SMC was granted on June 13, 2003, based on the Veteran's admission to VA hospital with osteomyelitis and subsequent amputation.
- Claimed conditions
- neuropathy of the upper extremities, loss of use of right leg
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 6, 2010
- Citation
- 1016844
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 1016844.
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
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