Service connection for bilateral upper and lower peripheral neuropathy, to include as due to herbicide and chemical exposure, is denied.,Service connection for hypertension, to include as due to herbicide exposure, is granted.,Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), to include as secondary to service-connected restrictive and obstructive lung disease, is denied.,Service connection for a bilateral foot condition, to include as due to herbicide agent exposure, is denied.,Service connection for a bilateral hand condition, to include as secondary to upper extremity peripheral neuropathy and as a result of exposure to herbicides, ionizing radiation, and other toxic chemicals, is denied.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not establish service connection for the claimed conditions due to lack of in-service diagnosis or treatment, and no presumptive service connection based on herbicide exposure can be established.,Service connection granted as hypertension was diagnosed within one year of separation from service and is a chronic disease under 38 C.F.R. § 3.309(a).,The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is not related to his service-connected restrictive and obstructive lung disease.,There is no evidence of herbicide or chemical exposure during service, and the Veteran did not have a compensable foot condition within one year of separation from service.,Service connection denied as there is no probative medical opinion linking the claimed hand condition to service.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral upper and lower peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), bilateral foot condition, bilateral hand condition
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 22, 2019
- Citation
- 19180169
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
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