The Veteran's allergic rhinitis is not compensable as there are no polyps or significant nasal obstruction.,Bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome was not incurred during service and is not related to any in-service injury, event, or disease. The condition began many years after separation from active duty.,Obstructive sleep apnea was not diagnosed during service and the Veteran did not have a CPAP machine prescribed for this condition while on active duty.,Diabetic nephropathy with hypertension is not considered to be proximately due to, the result of, or aggravated beyond its natural progression by service-connected disability. The Veteran does not meet the requirement of presumed herbicide exposure as per 38 C.F.R. § 3.309(e).,Bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is not considered to be proximately due to, the result of, or aggravated beyond its natural progression by service-connected disability.,Bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy is not considered to be proximately due to, the result of, or aggravated beyond its natural progression by service-connected disability.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's allergic rhinitis does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating as there are no polyps or significant nasal obstruction.,There is no evidence that bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome began during active service or was related to an in-service injury, event, or disease. The condition first appeared many years after separation from active duty.,The Veteran did not have obstructive sleep apnea diagnosed during service and there is no record of a CPAP machine being prescribed for this condition while on active duty.,There is no evidence that the Veteran's diabetic nephropathy with hypertension began during active service or was related to an in-service injury, event, or disease. The Veteran does not meet the requirement of presumed herbicide exposure as per 38 C.F.R. § 3.309(e).,There is no evidence that bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy began during active service or was related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.,There is no evidence that bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy began during active service or was related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.
- Claimed conditions
- Allergic rhinitis, Bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, Obstructive sleep apnea, Diabetic nephropathy with hypertension, Bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy (secondary to diabetes mellitus type II), Bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy (secondary to diabetes mellitus type II)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 3, 2019
- Citation
- A19003271
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 A19003271.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for chronic headaches, CFS, dermatosis, bilateral RLS, a lumbar spine disability, and sleep apnea but denied a compensable evaluation for allergic rhinitis.
- Denied
The appeal for higher ratings and effective dates for various conditions was denied, with the exception of left and right lower extremity radiculopathy which were granted an earlier effective date.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a low back disability, residuals of a right foot injury, sinusitis, shortness of breath, allergic rhinitis, and sleep apnea as there was no evidence to support a link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
- Partly granted
The Board denied an increased rating for allergic rhinitis and remanded the claims for cervical spine, hip, thigh, and hip extension disorders for further development.
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