The Veteran's bilateral trench foot disabilities, including associated peripheral neuropathy, were granted maximum ratings of 30 percent each. However, the presence of peripheral neuropathy necessitates separate evaluations under Diagnostic Code (DC) 8520 for each affected lower extremity.
The deciding factor: Peripheral neuropathy was separately evaluated as a distinct condition due to its association with the Veteran's trench foot disabilities and not already considered in the original ratings based on cold injury residuals (DC 7122).
- Claimed conditions
- left trench foot, right trench foot
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- February 20, 2014
- Citation
- 1407376
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 1407376.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's service connection claims for peripheral vascular disease, bilateral hearing loss, type 2 diabetes mellitus, bilateral lower extremity diabetic neuropathy, erectile dysfunction, right trench foot, stroke, and voiding dysfunction have all been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of current disabilities or a nexus to service.,The Veteran's peripheral vascular disease was not shown as chronic in service and there is no evidence of continuity of symptomatology post-service. His bilateral hearing loss does not meet VA standards for disability, and his type 2 diabetes mellitus cannot be presumed due to exposure to herbicide agents during service. The Board also found that the Veteran did not have boots on the ground service in Vietnam.,The Veteran's claims were denied as there was no medical evidence of a nexus between any current disabilities and service.
- Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The claims for trench foot, cold weather injuries to the small fingers, and unspecified trauma or stress-related disorder are denied.
- 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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