The Veteran's claim of entitlement to an effective date prior to January 28, 2013 for the award of service connection for bilateral testicular atrophy was denied. The Board found that the earliest effective date legally assignable is January 28, 2013.,The Veteran's claims of entitlement to ratings in excess of 40 percent for gout and 20 percent for varicose veins of the right lower extremity are remanded due to need for updated VA examinations.

The deciding factor: The effective date assigned is based on the date of receipt of the Veteran's claim, which was January 28, 2013. The Board found no earlier claims or evidence that would support an earlier effective date.,VA examinations are needed to assess the current severity and nature of the service-connected gout and varicose veins of the right lower extremity.

Claimed conditions

{"condition_name":"Bilateral Testicular Atrophy","diagnosis_date":null,"service_connection_theory":"direct"}, {"condition_name":"Gout","diagnosis_date":null,"service_connection_theory":"direct"}, {"condition_name":"Varicose Veins of the Right Lower Extremity","diagnosis_date":null,"service_connection_theory":"direct"}, {"condition_name":"Arthritis of the Right Hand","diagnosis_date":null,"service_connection_theory":"direct"}, {"condition_name":"Arthritis of the Left Hand","diagnosis_date":null,"service_connection_theory":"direct"}, {"condition_name":"Peripheral Neuropathy of the Right and Left Lower Extremities","diagnosis_date":null,"service_connection_theory":"presumptive (due to herbicide exposure)"}, {"condition_name":"Peripheral Neuropathy of the Right and Left Upper Extremities","diagnosis_date":null,"service_connection_theory":"presumptive (due to herbicide exposure)"}

How they argued it

Not specified

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

None in this decision

Decision date

October 14, 2020

Citation

20066458