The Veteran's claim for service connection for chemical exposure leading to birth defects and a stillborn baby is denied as the conditions are not disabilities for VA compensation purposes.
The deciding factor: Birth defects in offspring and stillbirths do not meet the criteria for loss of use of a creative organ under VA regulations, and there are no provisions authorizing benefits paid to veterans for exposure to chemicals resulting in stillbirths and birth defects suffered by members of veterans' families.
- Claimed conditions
- birth defects, stillborn baby
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 15, 2015
- Citation
- 1544045
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 1544045.
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: Partly granted
The Board denied benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1815 for a child born with birth defects and remanded the claim for benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1805 for a child born with spina bifida.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board denied benefits for a child born with birth defects and spina bifida, but granted service connection for spina bifida occulta.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied benefits for birth defects and spina bifida under Chapter 18 due to the lack of evidence showing that either parent served in a designated area or had exposure to herbicides during their service.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board readjudicated the claim for benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1805 for spina bifida based on new and relevant evidence, while denying the claim for birth defects.
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