The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a skin disorder, to include sores and cysts on the waist, under the arms, area between the legs and the hands, as there was no evidence of exposure to herbicides during service and no evidence linking the condition to his military service.
The deciding factor: The record does not reflect that the Veteran had active service within the land borders of the Republic of Vietnam, nor is there any evidence supporting the Veteran's contentions of exposure to herbicides/Agent Orange or any other chemicals during service. The Veteran has also not been shown to currently have a skin disorder causally related to his military service.
- Claimed conditions
- skin disorder, to include sores and cysts on the waist, area between the legs and the hands
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 17, 2009
- Citation
- 0905509
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.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the claims for service connection for chronic lymphocytic leukemia and a skin disorder due to an improper concurrent election. The effective dates for the lumbar spine disability, left lower extremity radiculopathies, and TDIU were denied as they did not meet the criteria for earlier effective dates.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issues of service connection for a bilateral foot disorder, an acquired psychiatric disorder, a skin disorder, and a sleep disorder, as well as an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for cystitis, due to the need for further development.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 20 percent rating for left foot injury residuals and left foot strain, but denied ratings in excess of 10 percent for hand/finger strains and service connection for a skin disorder.
- Denied
The Board denied increased ratings for tinnitus, corneal scar of the right eye with cataract and pinguecula, and PTSD, but remanded a claim for service connection for a skin disorder.
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.