The Board has determined that the veteran does not have service connection for any of the claimed conditions, including PTSD, hearing loss, upper respiratory disorders, tonsillitis, hemorrhoids, low back injury, frostbite, ingrown toenails, numbness of hands, fracture of left thumb, right shoulder dislocation, left elbow disability, arthritis of the back and shoulders, hyperopia and presbyopia, chloracne (claimed as secondary to herbicide exposure), or acute/subacute peripheral neuropathy (claimed as secondary to herbicide exposure).
The deciding factor: The evidence does not support a finding that any of the claimed conditions were incurred in service or are otherwise related to military service.
- Claimed conditions
- posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bilateral hearing loss, chronic upper respiratory disorder (to include bronchitis and sinusitis), chronic tonsillitis, hemorrhoids, residuals of a low back injury, residuals of frostbite of the hands and feet, infected ingrown toenails, numbness of the hands, fracture of the left thumb, right shoulder dislocation, left elbow disability, arthritis of the back and both shoulders, hyperopia and presbyopia, chloracne (claimed as secondary to herbicide exposure), acute and/or subacute peripheral neuropathy (claimed as secondary to herbicide exposure)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 20, 2003
- Citation
- 0309364
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 0309364.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Veteran was granted a 70 percent initial disability rating for PTSD effective December 2, 2021, but the claim for an increased rating in excess of 70 percent was denied. The appeal also included claims for service connection and ratings for various conditions, some of which were granted while others were remanded.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for headaches and increased ratings for left shoulder rotator cuff tear, right shoulder rotator cuff tear, hypertension, and left and right leg restless leg syndrome. The Board denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and various musculoskeletal issues, as well as an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for rhinitis. However, the Board granted a 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
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