The Board denied service connection for PTSD, a psychiatric disability other than PTSD, sleep apnea, gastrointestinal disabilities, sexual dysfunction, and fibromyalgia as there was no competent evidence to show that these conditions were caused by or aggravated by the Veteran's active service.
The deciding factor: The lack of credible supporting evidence linking the claimed in-service stressor to a current disability, along with the absence of medical evidence establishing a nexus between the Veteran's service and any of the claimed disabilities, led to the denial of these claims.
- Claimed conditions
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Psychiatric disability other than PTSD, Sleep apnea, Gastrointestinal disability including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), hiatal hernia, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and acid reflux, Sexual dysfunction, Fibromyalgia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 20, 2009
- Citation
- 0910521
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 granted service connection for chronic headaches, CFS, dermatosis, bilateral RLS, a lumbar spine disability, and sleep apnea but denied a compensable evaluation for allergic rhinitis.
- 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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for chronic kidney disease, atrial fibrillation, hiatal hernia, COPD, and prostate cancer as a result of toxic exposure during the Veteran's military service.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an effective date of May 29, 2019 for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder but denied earlier effective dates and increased ratings for other conditions.
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.