The Veteran's claims for service connection of loss of front teeth and gum pain, post-operative left shoulder rotator cuff tear, left thumb strain (non-dominant), stomach condition (claimed as acid reflux), Lyme disease, and cataract and macular degeneration (vision problems) have been denied.,The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for Lyme disease and cataract and macular degeneration due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their relationship to service.
The deciding factor: For loss of front teeth and gum pain, no new and material evidence was found to reopen the claim.,For post-operative left shoulder rotator cuff tear, the preponderance of the evidence is against finding a link between the current condition and service.,For left thumb strain (non-dominant), there is no current diagnosis or treatment related to this issue since separation from service.,For stomach condition (claimed as acid reflux), the earliest medical evidence for this condition was more than 30 years after separation, with no complaints or treatment during service.,For Lyme disease, a VA examiner has not been provided an opportunity to determine if the current disability is related to the in-service rash.,For cataract and macular degeneration (vision problems), a VA examiner has not been provided an opportunity to determine if the current disabilities are related to the 20/50 vision during service.
- Claimed conditions
- loss of front teeth and gum pain, post-operative left shoulder rotator cuff tear, left thumb strain (non-dominant), stomach condition, claimed as acid reflux, Lyme disease, cataract and macular degeneration (vision problems)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- November 29, 2018
- Citation
- 18153630
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 18153630.
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: Denied
The Board has denied service connection for the claimed conditions, finding that they are not related to active duty service or any period of ACDUTRA/INACDUTRA service. The appellant's claims are based on secondary service connection due to a non-service-connected condition (Lyme disease), but the evidence does not support this claim.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's Lyme disease is granted as service connected, with evidence linking his symptoms to a tick bite during training in 2013.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted an initial 60 percent rating for coronary artery disease (CAD), status post myocardial infarction, and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) effective May 27, 2021.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for a compensable rating for service-connected Lyme disease, TDIU, and SMC based on housebound status due to errors in the previous decision.
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