The veteran's claims for service connection for headaches, light sensitivity of the eyes, residuals of a neck injury, bilateral wrist disability, bilateral knee disability, bilateral ankle disability, bilateral foot disability and scars on both shins were denied as there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
The deciding factor: The VA medical examination found that the veteran's current disabilities are not related to any incident in service. There is a 10-year gap between service and the first diagnosis of headaches, which weighs against the claim. No doctor has ever opined that the veteran's neck injury from a propeller was chronic or linked to his current degenerative changes.
- Claimed conditions
- headaches, light sensitivity of the eyes, residuals of a neck injury, bilateral wrist disability, bilateral knee disability, bilateral ankle disability, bilateral foot disability, scars on both shins
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 2, 2009
- Citation
- 0900002
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the service connection claim for a bilateral knee disability to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error, including scheduling an additional VA examination.
- 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an increased initial disability evaluation of headaches due to an inadequate VA examination.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection for a bilateral knee disability, bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, and chronic pain syndrome due to untimely notices of disagreement.
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.