The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral lower and upper extremity peripheral neuropathy due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
The deciding factor: The examiner failed to consider the Veteran's lay testimony regarding early-onset symptoms after returning from Vietnam, which is considered a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral lower extremities peripheral neuropathy, bilateral upper extremities peripheral neuropathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 30, 2021
- Citation
- A21019025
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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation A21019025.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral lower extremities peripheral neuropathy, bilateral upper extremities peripheral neuropathy, and fibromyalgia based on the Veteran's presumed exposure to herbicide agents during active service.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral lower extremities peripheral neuropathy, finding it at least as likely as not due to the Veteran's active service exposure to herbicides.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for additional development due to concerns about the competence of the December 2019 VA examiner and the need to consider the Veteran's self-reported lay histories in providing examination opinions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the cases for further examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's claimed liver condition, bilateral upper and lower extremities peripheral neuropathy, prostate condition, and skin condition. The etiology of these conditions will be evaluated in light of their potential relationship to service.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.