The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of his bilateral upper and lower extremities, as well as an increased rating for PTSD. The evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran had these conditions due to Agent Orange exposure or any other service-connected condition.
The deciding factor: The VA treatment records did not show any evidence of peripheral neuropathy during service or within one year after discharge, and there was no early-onset peripheral neuropathy. The Board found that the Veteran's PTSD symptoms caused occupational and social impairment but were not severe enough to warrant a higher rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities, Peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- July 12, 2018
- Citation
- 18118218
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 18118218.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's current peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities was incurred during his period of active service, including exposure to herbicides in the Republic of Vietnam. The Board granted service connection for this condition.
- Denied
The appeal regarding the July 2, 2020 rating decision for PTSD was denied. The claims of service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities were also denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and the need for additional medical opinions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of both upper and lower extremities due to a need for further clarity on the nature and etiology of the Veteran's conditions.
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