The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity is granted service connection as it is due to his already service-connected back disability. The Veteran's psychiatric disorders are not rated higher than 70 percent, and TDIU from November 12, 2015 to July 7, 2016 is granted.
The deciding factor: The evidence shows that the Veteran’s peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity was caused by his service-connected back disability. The psychiatric disorders do not meet the criteria for a higher rating as they do not cause total occupational and social impairment.
- Claimed conditions
- Peripheral neuropathy of right lower extremity, Recurrent major depressive disorder with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a panic disorder, and an explosive disorder with cognitive impairment
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- February 28, 2019
- Citation
- 19114908
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 3,319 · Granted: 25% (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 19114908.
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 SMC was granted at the intermediate level between 38 U.S.C. § 1114(m) and (n) due to additional disabilities including peripheral neuropathies, tinnitus, hearing loss, and lymphoma.
- Granted
The Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is granted service connection as it is at least as likely as not related to an in-service injury.,The Veteran's left and right lower extremity neuropathy are also granted service connection as they are due to his service-connected back condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The appeal is remanded to obtain a TERA memorandum and medical opinions addressing the Veteran's claimed conditions, including diabetes mellitus, renal failure, peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities, and an acquired psychiatric disorder, in relation to his service and exposure to toxic substances.
- Denied
The Board finds that the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities is not related to service, including herbicide agent exposure in Thailand.
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