The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and hypertension have been denied as there is no evidence that these conditions were service-connected prior to the dates assigned.,The Veteran's claim for earlier effective date for hypertension has also been denied.
The deciding factor: The claims are denied because the evidence does not show that diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and hypertension were service-connected prior to the dates assigned by VA. The earliest effective dates allowed by law and regulation have already been granted.,The claim for earlier effective date for hypertension is also denied as there is no evidence showing it was service-connected prior to August 10, 2022.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, left lower extremity, peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity, hypertension
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 24, 2026
- Citation
- A26016314
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 A26016314.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
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- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to conflicting opinions regarding service connection for peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and skin disabilities related to herbicide exposure.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension and increased rating for anxiety disorder have been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of a current disability meeting the criteria for hypertension, and the Veteran's anxiety disorder does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
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