The Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disorder is denied as the preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that his diagnosed conditions began during service or were related to in-service exposure to an herbicide agent.,The Veteran's claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 50% for PTSD is denied. The Board finds that the severity, frequency, and duration of the Veteran’s symptoms more closely approximate the level associated with a 50 percent rating.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than November 19, 2007, for service connection for bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is denied. The preponderance of evidence does not support finding that his condition was secondary to his service-connected diabetes.

The deciding factor: The Veteran's diagnosed respiratory conditions are presumed due to in-service exposure to herbicide agents, but the medical opinions do not support a causal relationship between these conditions and his active service.,The severity of the Veteran’s PTSD symptoms more closely approximates the level associated with a 50 percent rating rather than a higher one. The evidence does not demonstrate the level of impairment required for a 70 percent or higher rating.,The preponderance of the evidence does not support finding that the Veteran's bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy was secondary to his service-connected diabetes.

Claimed conditions

Respiratory disorder, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy

How they argued it

Presumptive (no nexus needed)

Exposure basis

Burn pits / airborne hazards

Rating assigned

None in this decision

Decision date

May 1, 2019

Citation

19133975

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 19133975.