Service connection for bilateral flatfeet, left eye condition, alopecia areata, and cognitive disorder/brain damage due to radiation exposure is denied.,The Veteran's service treatment records do not show any chronic disability related to the claimed conditions. The Board finds that there is no evidence of an increase in disability during service or a current disability for which service connection can be granted.
The deciding factor: There is no competent medical evidence showing an increase in disability due to service, and post-service treatment records do not reflect any chronic disabilities related to the claimed conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral flatfeet, left eye condition, alopecia areata, cognitive disorder/brain damage due to radiation exposure
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 16, 2018
- Citation
- 18142813
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 18142813.
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 for alopecia areata was dismissed because she submitted a request for Higher Level Review (HLR) before filing her Notice of Disagreement, which constitutes an impermissible concurrent election.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's claims for an increased disability rating for other specified stressor and trauma related disorder, as well as service connection for alopecia areata, were both denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a 100% disability rating for the former condition or establish service connection for the latter.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's headaches, head scars, left eye condition, and right eye condition are all found to be secondary to his service-connected traumatic brain injury (TBI). Service connection is granted for these conditions.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The claim of CUE in the February 2020 rating decision regarding service connection for various conditions is dismissed as it was subsumed by a subsequent March 2021 Board decision.
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