The Board has determined that the Veteran's current peripheral artery disease and atherosclerosis of the left lower extremity are not related to service, as they were acute and resolved during service. The claim for service connection is denied.,Similarly, the Board found no evidence linking the Veteran's current right lower extremity disability or lumbar spine disorder to his in-service exposure.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner determined that the current peripheral artery disease and atherosclerosis of the left lower extremity were not caused by cold exposure during service, but rather are related to spinal stenosis and other pre-existing conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Peripheral Artery Disease, Atherosclerosis of the left lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 15, 2015
- Citation
- 1502156
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 1502156.
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.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals because he did not file his claims on the correct forms and was advised to use a VA Form 20-0995 for supplemental claims.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an effective date earlier than June 30, 2011 for the award of service connection for peripheral artery disease in both legs. The Board found that the earliest objective evidence of peripheral artery disease was August 24, 2011.
- Granted
The Veteran's peripheral artery disease is granted as service connected due to exposure to herbicide agents, specifically Agent Orange. The Board found the evidence supports a direct causal relationship between his current condition and his in-service exposure.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for peripheral artery disease, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, amputation below the right knee, and amputation below the left knee as secondary to service-connected diabetes. The initial disability rating for diabetes remains at 20 percent.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.