The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for right lower extremity, left lower extremity, right hand, and left hand peripheral neuropathy were denied. The conditions are rated as 20 percent disabling under the criteria for incomplete paralysis of the sciatic nerve in the bilateral lower extremities and mild incomplete paralysis of the radial nerve in the bilateral upper extremities.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not establish that the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy resulted in a higher degree of impairment than what was currently rated, thus denying the increased rating claims.
- Claimed conditions
- Right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, Left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, Right hand peripheral neuropathy, Left hand peripheral neuropathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 22, 2019
- Citation
- 19179943
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.
- Denied
The Board denied various claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates, with the exception of granting a 10 percent rating for right knee instability.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type II, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities, and left ear hearing loss. The veteran was granted a TDIU.
- Partly granted
The Board granted the petitions to readjudicate claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an acquired psychiatric disability, while denying service connection for lower back, kidney, diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and sleep apnea.
- Denied
The Board denied readjudication of increased rating claims for diabetes mellitus, bilateral knee, bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and cervical spine, as well as an earlier effective date for DEA and entitlement to TDIU due to the lack of new and relevant evidence.
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