The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy was not shown in service or for many years thereafter and is not otherwise etiologically related to active duty service. The Board denied the claim as there is no evidence of early-onset neuropathy due to herbicide exposure, and the preponderance of the evidence does not support a direct relationship between the condition and service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service treatment records were silent for complaints or diagnoses related to bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy. The examiner found no basis on which to find that the Veteran's current diagnosis was more likely than not related to active duty service, including as due to herbicide agent exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 10, 2021
- Citation
- 21028080
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 21028080.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has identified errors in the rating decision and is remanding the case for further development to ensure all relevant evidence is considered.
- Granted
The Veteran's TDIU was granted effective October 24, 2017. The attorney fees are eligible based on the past-due benefits awarded in the May 2021 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that additional medical opinions are needed to address the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral lower extremity and foot peripheral neuropathy, particularly in relation to herbicide agent exposure during service.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for service connection were denied due to the late filing of the appeal requests, and thus the appeals are dismissed.
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.