The Veteran's service-connected diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities results in loss of use of his feet, which meets the criteria for financial assistance in purchasing an automobile or other conveyance and adaptive equipment.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence shows that the Veteran's diabetic peripheral neuropathy has resulted in significant physical limitations, including numbness in his lower extremities to the point where he is unaware of his foot placement while driving a car. This loss of sensation results in the loss of use of his feet for purposes of financial assistance.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity, diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity sciatic nerve, diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity sciatic nerve, diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity, hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus, diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity femoral nerve, diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity femoral nerve
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 80%
- Decision date
- October 5, 2022
- Citation
- A22020306
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 A22020306.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, visual impairment, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction due to lack of exposure to herbicide agents during service. The Veteran's claims were not granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection on the merits are being remanded due to new evidence and development needs. The maximum disability rating for tinnitus has already been assigned.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, ischemic heart disease, right lower extremity peripheral artery disease, left lower extremity peripheral artery disease, and hypertension as the evidence did not establish an in-service event or exposure to herbicide agents.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's initial compensable evaluation for hypothyroidism is denied, and the Board finds that service connection for lumbar degenerative disc disease and bilateral foot condition should be remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
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