The Board has granted service connection for bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, finding that it is at least as likely as not caused by the Veteran's in-service exposure to herbicide agents, specifically Agent Orange. The condition was first diagnosed in 1988 and the Board found no evidence of early-onset peripheral neuropathy within a year of last known exposure.
The deciding factor: The VA neurologist concluded that the Veteran’s prior exposure to Agent Orange is the primary risk factor and likely cause of his peripheral neuropathy, with no other etiology medical opinion to the contrary.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 20, 2020
- Citation
- 20074606
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 Board dismissed the appeals for service connection for a bilateral knee disability, bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, and chronic pain syndrome due to untimely notices of disagreement.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy secondary to the veteran's service-connected musculoskeletal disabilities.
- Partly granted
The Board denied the claim for service connection for bilateral pes planus, finding that it preexisted service and did not increase in disability. The claims for ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and pes planus were remanded for further development.
- Granted
The Board grants service connection for bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy based on the Veteran's credible reports and a positive nexus opinion from the December 2024 VA examiner.
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