The Board found that the Veteran's black-out spells, diagnosed as a syncopal condition and vasovagal syncope, pre-existed his military service. The Board also found that there was no evidence of aggravation during service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for these conditions is denied.
The deciding factor: The medical opinion clearly established that the Veteran's black-out spells were present prior to service and not aggravated by service.
- Claimed conditions
- syncopal condition, vasovagal syncope
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 16, 2015
- Citation
- 1552633
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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 1552633.
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 has remanded the claim for service connection of vasovagal syncope due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The Veteran's vasovagal syncope is presumed to have existed prior to service, and the Board must now determine if there is clear and unmistakable evidence that it was not aggravated by military service.
- Granted
The Board granted an earlier effective date of June 26, 1984, for the award of service connection for vasovagal syncope based on new and relevant service treatment records.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a headache disorder, and vasovagal syncope to correct duty to assist errors.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for vasovagal syncope and an initial 30% rating for obstructive sleep apnea from November 11, 2022 to May 8, 2023, but denied earlier effective dates and higher ratings for the same condition. The Board also granted a 50% rating for OSA from May 8, 2023, and an initial 30% rating for gastroesophageal reflux disease.
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.