The Board granted increased ratings for right and left upper extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy, as well as an increase in the rating for diabetic nephropathy. The grant of SMC based on housebound criteria was also approved. Attorney fees were awarded for these decisions.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's attorney successfully appealed for increased ratings for his service-connected conditions and received a favorable decision from the Board, which resulted in an increase in compensation benefits.
- Claimed conditions
- right upper extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy, left upper extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy, diabetic nephropathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- February 13, 2019
- Citation
- 19111618
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,242 · Granted: 24% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19111618.
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 Board has granted the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type II, diabetic nephropathy, and prostate cancer. The issues of entitlement to special monthly compensation based on housebound status and eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) are remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to clarify the dates of bilateral partial foot amputations and their relationship to service-connected diabetes. The AOJ will obtain pertinent private treatment records to determine these details.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II (DM) and coronary artery disease (CAD), finding that the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during his active duty at Fort McClellan. The Board also found support for secondary service connection for diabetic neuropathy of various extremities, peripheral vascular disease, and gastroparesis as secondary to DM.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the service connection claims for diabetic nephropathy and prostate cancer due to exposure to Camp Lejeune contaminated water. The RO is instructed to obtain an addendum VA medical opinion regarding the relationship between these conditions and exposure to Camp Lejeune.
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