The Board has granted service connection for neuropathy of the right upper extremity, left upper extremity, right lower extremity, and left lower extremity based on credible evidence of cold weather exposure during active duty in Alaska.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's assertions regarding cold weather exposure were deemed credible and consistent with her service in Alaska, leading to a finding that there is as likely as not a medical relationship between the diagnosed disabilities and cold weather exposure during service.
- Claimed conditions
- neuropathy of the right upper extremity, neuropathy of the left upper extremity, neuropathy of the right lower extremity, neuropathy of the left lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 12, 2019
- Citation
- 19193427
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 19193427.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including left and right eye dry eyes, cataracts of the left and right eyes, neuropathy of the left lower extremity, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, left renal arteriovenous malformation, aneurysm, pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB), degenerative joint disease (DJD) of the lumbar spine, recurrent subluxation of the left knee prior to May 13, 2020, left total knee replacement, disability rating in excess of 60 percent from September 1, 2021, forward for left total knee replacement, DJD of the right knee, right knee instability, burns of the bilateral ankles, linear scar of the left knee, post-surgical tender scars of the left knee, and a total disability rating due to unemployability (TDIU) based upon service-connected disabilities prior to June 14, 2019.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for hyperthyroidism as secondary to in-service exposure to herbicide agents, and for neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities and right eye exophthalmos and diplopia as secondary to service-connected hypothyroidism.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for neuropathy of all four extremities due to a need for additional development, including verification of claimed nerve agent exposure and obtaining an updated medical opinion.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for neuropathy of the left upper extremity as there is no evidence that it was incurred in or caused by service, and it did not manifest within one year of separation from service.
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