The Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis with stenosis of the lumbar spine has been reopened and granted.,Service connection is granted for a back disability (degenerative arthritis with stenosis of the lumbar spine).,The Veteran's claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity has been reopened and granted.,Service connection is granted for peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity has been reopened and granted.,Service connection is granted for peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity.,Service connection is granted for porphyria cutanea tarda, as secondary to herbicide exposure.
The deciding factor: The new evidence shows that the Veteran's current degenerative arthritis with stenosis of the lumbar spine was incurred in service and is related to his military service.,Service connection is granted because the Veteran has provided competent medical evidence linking his current back disability to his military service.,The new evidence includes VA medical opinions indicating a relationship between the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy and his service-connected diabetes mellitus, which is sufficient to grant service connection on a secondary basis.,The new evidence includes VA clinical records noting a diagnosis of porphyria cutanea tarda, with onset within one year of herbicide exposure in Vietnam. Service connection is granted as the condition is related to military service and not due to any other cause.,The new evidence includes VA medical opinions indicating a relationship between the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy and his service-connected diabetes mellitus, which is sufficient to grant service connection on a secondary basis.,Service connection is granted because the Veteran has provided competent medical evidence linking his current peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity to his military service.,The new evidence includes VA clinical records noting a diagnosis of porphyria cutanea tarda, with onset within one year of herbicide exposure in Vietnam. Service connection is granted as the condition is related to military service and not due to any other cause.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative arthritis with stenosis of the lumbar spine, Peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, Peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, Porphyria cutanea tarda
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 15, 2017
- Citation
- 1739553
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 1739553.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his bilateral lower extremity neuropathy due to diabetes mellitus, have resulted in loss of use of both lower extremities. The Board has granted eligibility for specially adapted housing and dismissed the claim for a special home adaptation grant as moot.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error, requiring clarification on whether the Veteran's left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is early-onset and if it is related to Agent Orange exposure during service.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for peripheral neuropathy of both the right and left lower extremities, finding that it is at least as likely as not caused by or aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected hypertension.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the left upper and lower extremities due to herbicide agent exposure, as there is a pre-decisional duty to assist error that occurred prior to the date of the AOJ decision on appeal.
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