The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including DDD of the cervical and thoracolumbar spine, bilateral hearing loss, GERD, obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, dermatitis, squamous cell skin cancer, CTS, upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, TBI, and migraine headaches. The Board found that there was no in-service injury or event supporting the claims for these conditions.
The deciding factor: The contemporaneous service records did not support the Veteran's descriptions of injuries sustained during the ammunition dump explosion in February 1967, nor did they show any treatment for the claimed conditions post-service. The medical opinions provided were based on inaccurate factual bases and therefore lacked probative value.
- Claimed conditions
- DDD of the cervical spine, DDD of the thoracolumbar spine, bilateral hearing loss, GERD, obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, dermatitis, squamous cell skin cancer, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, TBI, migraine headaches
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- July 3, 2018
- Citation
- 18116011
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 18116011.
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: Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
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.