Citation Nr: 18153629 Decision Date: 11/29/18 Archive Date: 11/28/18 DOCKET NO. 10-48 836 DATE: November 29, 2018 ORDER Entitlement to service connection for a bilateral upper extremity neurological disability, to include peripheral neuropathy is denied. Entitlement to service connection for a bilateral lower extremity neurological disability, to include peripheral neuropathy is denied. FINDINGS OF FACT 1. A bilateral upper extremity neurological disability, to include peripheral neuropathy was not shown during active service or at any time thereafter. 2. A bilateral lower extremity neurological disability, to include peripheral neuropathy was not shown during active service or at any time thereafter. CONCLUSIONS OF LAW 1. The criteria for service connection for a bilateral upper extremity neurological disability, to include peripheral neuropathy have not been met. 38 U.S.C. §§ 1110, 1131, 1154, 5103, 5103A, 5107; 38 C.F.R. §§ 3.102, 3.159, 3.303, 3.326(a). 2. The criteria for service connection for a bilateral lower extremity neurological disability, to include peripheral neuropathy have not been met. 38 U.S.C. §§ 1110, 1131, 1154, 5103, 5103A, 5107; 38 C.F.R. §§ 3.102, 3.159, 3.303, 3.326(a). REASONS AND BASES FOR FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS The Veteran had active service from September 1966 to February 1972. He served in the Republic of Vietnam, flew multiple combat missions, and was awarded two Distinguished Flying Crosses and 14 Air Medals. The Veteran had additional service with the Georgia Air National Guard. The Veteran appeared at a January 2016 hearing before the undersigned Veterans Law Judge at the St. Petersburg, Florida, Regional Office. A hearing transcript is of record. Service Connection The Veteran asserts that service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the upper and the lower extremities is warranted secondary to the repetitive stress on his extremities during over 200 air combat missions in and over Vietnam. Service connection may be established for recurrent disability arising from disease or injury incurred in or aggravated by active service. 38 U.S.C. §§ 1110, 1131. Service connection may be established for any disease diagnosed after discharge, when all the evidence, including that pertinent to service, establishes that the disease was incurred in service. 38 C.F.R. § 3.303(d). In the case of any veteran who engaged in combat with the enemy in active service during a period of war, campaign, or expedition, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) shall accept as sufficient proof of service connection of any disease or injury alleged to have been incurred in or aggravated by that service satisfactory lay or other evidence of service incurrence or aggravation of an injury or disease, if consistent with the circumstances, conditions, or hardships of that service, notwithstanding the fact that there is no official record of such incurrence or aggravation in such service, and, to that end, shall resolve every reasonable doubt in favor of the veteran. Service connection of that injury or disease may be rebutted by clear and convincing evidence to the contrary. The reasons for granting or denying service-connection in each case shall be recorded in full. 38 U.S.C. § 1154(b). The service medical records do not refer to peripheral neuropathy or other neurological disability of the extremities. The report of a July 2017 VA peripheral nerve examination states that the Veteran complained of intermittent numbness of the hands, part of the forearms, and the feet since “sometime in the 1980s.” He acknowledged that he had never mentioned any neurological complaints to his doctors and had never been diagnosed with or treated for any neurologic disability. The Veteran was not diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy or any other recurrent peripheral nerve disability. The examiner commented that the Veteran had no diagnosed neurological disabilities and “his symptoms are not in a radicular pattern, and he does not have radiating pain – to suggest that his symptoms are consistent with radiculopathy.” A recurrent peripheral nerve disability of any extremity was not diagnosed or otherwise identified during active service. The July 2017 VA peripheral nerve examination found that the Veteran had no neurological disability. The Veteran has not made any contentions that he has ever been found to have peripheral neuropathy or any other recurrent neurological disability of the extremities. The Veteran has not submitted any competent evidence suggesting that he has any diagnosed neurologic disability. The Board finds that the Veteran is not competent to diagnose a neurologic disability as that requires medical training. Accordingly, the Board concludes that service connection for a neurological disability of the upper extremities and the lower extremities, including peripheral neuropathy, may not be established. The preponderance of the evidence is against the claim, and the claim must be denied. Harvey P. Roberts Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD J. T. Hutcheson, Counsel