The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, finding that it was not incurred or aggravated by active service, including presumed exposure to herbicides.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not establish a link between the Veteran’s current peripheral neuropathy and his military service, particularly given the lack of a diagnosis during service and the absence of any chronic neurological disorder manifest within one year after presumed exposure to herbicides.
- Claimed conditions
- Peripheral neuropathy
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 26, 2020
- Citation
- 20069151
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
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and an effective date of August 13, 2019, for the grant of Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) based on the need for aid and attendance.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating for posttraumatic stress disorder, service connection for gallbladder disease and functional gastrointestinal disorders, and remanded claims for peripheral neuropathy, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and residuals of liver disease.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy to obtain a new VA medical opinion due to inadequate previous opinions.
- Partly granted
The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for arthritis of the left middle finger and remanded claims for service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, and a TDIU.
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