The Board denied service connection for an autoimmune disease and polyneuropathy, finding no evidence of a relationship to in-service herbicide exposure.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner's opinion discounted the possibility that either the Veteran’s current rheumatoid arthritis or polyneuropathy are related to in-service herbicide exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- Autoimmune disease, Polyneuropathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 25, 2020
- Citation
- 20013954
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 20013954.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for an autoimmune disease and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) or fibromyalgia, finding no evidence of a current disability related to the Veteran's military service.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for further development due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors, including unconfirmed service locations and lack of VA examinations.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral upper and lower extremity polyneuropathy, finding that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 20 percent for RUE and LUE polyneuropathy or in excess of 10 percent for RLE and LLE polyneuropathy.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional information regarding his work history and for extra-schedular consideration of TDIU prior to March 25, 2022.
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