The Board denied the claim for service connection for HIV, finding that it is far less than 50 percent likely that the veteran contracted HIV as a result of a tattoo he obtained during military service.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence established that it was far less than 50 percent likely that the veteran contracted HIV through his tattoo in service.
- Claimed conditions
- acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- April 29, 2008
- Citation
- 0814085
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 3,038 · Granted: 30% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0814085.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for prostatitis, HIV, CHF, GERD, herpes, a pulmonary disability, headaches, and type 2 diabetes mellitus as the evidence did not support a finding of a current disability or a nexus to service or a service-connected disability.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, remanded the claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder and HIV for further development.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for HIV and legal blindness due to ongoing evidentiary deficiencies and failure of the RO to fully comply with prior remand directives.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for HIV has been granted, making the issue moot.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.