The Veteran's service connection claims for cervical spine disability, bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy of the femoral nerve (PACT Act), and bilateral hip/ankle osteoarthritis have been granted with effective dates. DEA eligibility has also been established.
The deciding factor: Service connection was granted based on presumptive exposure to herbicides under the PACT Act, and effective dates were assigned based on the date of the PACT Act's implementation.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease cervical spine, Left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy of the femoral nerve, Right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy of the femoral nerve, Chronic kidney disease (CKD), Left hip degenerative arthritis, Right hip degenerative arthritis, Left ankle degenerative arthritis with tendinitis, Right ankle degenerative arthritis
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- March 31, 2026
- Citation
- A26029228
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 A26029228.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine, right knee degenerative arthritis, left knee degenerative arthritis, right ankle degenerative arthritis, and left ankle degenerative arthritis.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the VA Ankle Conditions examination conducted on September 26, 2024 did not comply with the remand directives and is therefore inadequate. The Veteran's right ankle disability remains under review for a higher rating.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left hip and right hip disabilities, finding that there is no evidence to support a nexus between these conditions and his service-connected lumbar spine disability.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
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