The Board has determined that the Veteran's Arnold Chiari malformation is a congenital defect and not a compensable disability, thus denying service connection.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the Veteran's Arnold Chiari malformation was a congenital condition and there were no additional disabilities due to aggravation during service.
- Claimed conditions
- Arnold Chiari malformation
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- April 19, 2016
- Citation
- 1615691
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 1615691.
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: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for additional development to address whether the Veteran's acquired neurological disorder, including Arnold Chiari malformation and syringomyelia, is related to his service. The muscle inflammation claim due to Persian Gulf service is also being remanded.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to errors in duty to assist and for clarification of the nature and etiology of the Veteran's Arnold Chiari malformation.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's Chiari malformation and related conditions are remanded due to conflicting evidence regarding the diagnosis and etiology of her condition.,The Veteran's migraines, right foot condition, and other secondary service connection claims are also remanded for additional development.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
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