The Veteran's claims for various conditions, including a right lower extremity disorder, headaches, sleep apnea, gout, left knee disorder, right foot disorder, bilateral hearing loss, hypertension (HTN), and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) have all been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for reopening the claims or establishing service connection for any of these conditions.
The deciding factor: The evidence submitted since the last denial was deemed insufficient to reopen the claims, as it failed to provide a positive nexus opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's claimed disabilities and did not address the third element (nexus) necessary for service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- {"condition_name":"Right lower extremity disorder (claimed initially as residuals of a right knee gunshot wound)","status":"Denied"}, {"condition_name":"Headaches","status":"Denied"}, {"condition_name":"Sleep apnea","status":"Denied"}, {"condition_name":"Gout","status":"Denied"}, {"condition_name":"Left knee disorder","status":"Denied"}, {"condition_name":"Right foot disorder","status":"Denied"}, {"condition_name":"Bilateral hearing loss","status":"Denied"}, {"condition_name":"Hypertension (HTN)","status":"Denied"}, {"condition_name":"Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)","status":"Denied"}
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 4, 2019
- Citation
- 19100970
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD due to an inadequate medical opinion.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for myasthenia gravis based on the Veteran's exposure to hazardous substances during his military service.
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