The Board found no evidence of an esophageal condition in service or until many years after service, and concluded that the veteran's current esophageal disorder is not related to his exposure to ionizing radiation during service. The claim for service connection was denied.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that there is no medical evidence linking the veteran's current esophageal condition to his in-service exposure to ionizing radiation, and thus concluded that service connection cannot be established based on presumptive or direct service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- esophageal disorder
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 17, 2004
- Citation
- 0407030
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 0407030.
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 Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in excess of the current ratings. The Board granted a 10 percent rating for left nasal cavity mass with obstruction prior to March 18, 2024, but denied a compensable rating beginning that date. The Board remanded service connection for esophageal disorder.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for an esophageal disorder and a thyroid disorder due to insufficient evidence regarding their relationship to service, including asbestos exposure.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the Veteran's claim for service connection for an esophageal disorder, including gastroesophageal reflux disease and achalasia, as the May 2021 and November 2021 VA opinions are inadequate to decide the appeal.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for an esophageal disorder, a lumbar spine disorder, left arm carpal tunnel syndrome, and right arm carpal tunnel syndrome as there was no evidence of current disabilities related to these conditions during the pendency of the claim. The claim for migraines was remanded.
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