The VA has proposed changes its regulations regarding the service connection of Peripheral Neuropathy for Vietnam Veterans. If you are a Vietnam Veteran, and have acute or sub-acute peripheral neuropathy, you may want to consult with an attorney to see if or how this decision might affect a pending, or even a finally adjudicated, claim for service connection of peripheral neuropathy.
Here is what is happening.
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Currently, the VA presumes Veterans’ acute and subacute peripheral neuropathy is related to herbicide exposure during service when:
- It appears within one year of exposure to Agent Orange to a degree of at least 10 percent disabling by VA’s rating regulations, and
- It is temporary and resolves within two years.
The VA proposed, on Aug. 10, 2012, to replace “acute and subacute” with “early-onset” and eliminate the requirement that symptoms resolve within two years.
The Institute of Medicine found evidence that symptoms can persist longer than two years. The condition must still be 10 percent disabling within one year of exposure for VA to presume an association.
The comment period continues through October 9, 2012.
