The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, diabetes mellitus type II, left and right foot conditions, low back condition, high cholesterol, bronchitis, sleep disorder, bilateral eye condition, arthritis, and sinus condition. The primary reasons are lack of in-service stressor for PTSD, no evidence of chronicity after discharge for other conditions, and insufficient herbicide exposure documentation.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claims were denied due to the absence of an established service connection basis (direct or presumptive) for his claimed disabilities, including a lack of credible supporting evidence that the in-service stressor actually occurred for PTSD, no objective medical evidence showing any diagnosed condition for other conditions, and insufficient documentation of herbicide exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Diabetes Mellitus Type II, Left Foot Condition (plantar/posterior calcaneal spurs with pes planus), Right Foot Condition (plantar/posterior calcaneal spurs with pes planus), Low Back Condition, High Cholesterol, Bronchitis, Sleep Disorder, Bilateral Eye Condition, Arthritis, Sinus Condition
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 9, 2018
- Citation
- 1801137
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 1801137.
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 denied an initial increased rating for diabetes mellitus type II and remanded the claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, right shoulder strain with acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis and tendinitis, cervical spine spondylosis, left knee degenerative arthritis, right knee degenerative arthritis, and thoracolumbar scoliosis and lumbar spine degenerative changes.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for asbestosis, bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), rhinitis, sinusitis, and asthma. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was also denied a compensable rating.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's PTSD was granted a 70 percent rating prior to March 7, 2022, while other claims were denied.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD and GAD, as well as tinnitus.
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