The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including thyroid disability, throat disability, hair loss, muscle weakness, defective vision (related to TBI), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Bell's palsy, gall bladder dysfunction, recurrent allergies, sleep apnea, and hypertension. The decision found that the Veteran did not have a chronic disability manifested by these conditions during service or within one year of separation, and thus could not establish direct service connection.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that there was no evidence of current disabilities for which service connection could be granted, as well as no showing of continuity of symptomatology since service. The Veteran's assertions were considered but found to lack the requisite expertise to render a competent opinion regarding his conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Thyroid disability (hypothyroidism with fatigue), Throat disability, Hair loss (male pattern baldness), Muscle weakness, Defective vision (related to TBI), Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Bell's palsy, Gall bladder dysfunction, Recurrent allergies, Sleep disability (sleep apnea), Hypertension
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 7, 2018
- Citation
- 1807921
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 1807921.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim of service connection for hypertension, finding that it did not manifest during service and is not causally related to the Veteran's exposure to herbicides or service.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current condition and active duty service or herbicide exposure.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for Dupuytren's contracture of the left hand, right hand, and GERD is remanded due to inadequate VA examination opinions and failure to consider toxic exposure risk activities during service.
- Denied
The Board has denied service connection for hypertension and has remanded the issue of an increased rating for skin condition.
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