The Veteran's service-connected type 2 diabetes mellitus caused peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, which is granted for accrued benefits purposes. The Veteran also had residuals of a left cerebrovascular accident that resulted in ataxia and vertigo attacks more than once per week, leading to a 100% disability rating for accrued benefits.
The deciding factor: The VA physician's opinion supported the service connection claim based on the Veteran’s history of diabetic neuropathy. The appellant provided credible testimony about the frequency of the Veteran's ataxia and vertigo attacks.
- Claimed conditions
- Peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, Left cerebrovascular accident
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- October 5, 2020
- Citation
- 20064461
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.
- Dismissed
The appeal for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is dismissed as moot because the Veteran is already receiving TDIU effective January 9, 2017.
- Partly granted
The appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied, while the appeals for diabetes mellitus, type II, and peripheral neuropathy of both upper and lower extremities were remanded.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, but granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities from July 1, 2011.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities is aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II, and thus grants service connection for this condition. The Veteran does not have an immune deficiency syndrome or fibromyalgia as claimed.
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