The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, pes planus, malaria, sinusitis, left inguinal hernia, residuals of a spider bite of the left groin, and back disability. The claim for right ear hearing loss is granted as incurred in service, but the issue remains pending with respect to compensable ratings.
The deciding factor: The veteran's PTSD was not diagnosed during or after service, pes planus, malaria, sinusitis, left inguinal hernia, and residuals of a spider bite of the left groin were not shown by medical evidence to currently exist, and back disability was not incurred in service. Right ear hearing loss is considered incurred in service due to combat noise exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- Back Disability, Left Inguinal Hernia, Malaria, Pes Planus, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Residuals of a Spider Bite of the Left Groin, Sinusitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 11, 2004
- Citation
- 0403929
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 0403929.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for asbestosis, bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), rhinitis, sinusitis, and asthma. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was also denied a compensable rating.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a low back disability, residuals of a right foot injury, sinusitis, shortness of breath, allergic rhinitis, and sleep apnea as there was no evidence to support a link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
- Partly granted
The Board denied increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss, right inguinal hernia, non allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), while granting service connection for left knee strain and left leg shin splints.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's PTSD was granted a 70 percent rating prior to March 7, 2022, while other claims were denied.
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