The Veteran's appeal for service connection on the merits was denied. The claims were remanded for further action.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not establish a current disability or a nexus to service, and secondary service connection was not considered.
- Claimed conditions
- heart disability, cervical strain, bilateral shoulder disability, bilateral hip disability, right shinbone disability, residuals of bilateral ankle injury, bilateral pes planus, impaired vision, sinus disability, digestive tract disability (gastroesophageal reflux disease), skin rashes (macropapular dermatitis and athlete’s foot), radiculopathy of bilateral upper extremity, radiculopathy of bilateral lower extremity, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), degenerative disc disease of lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 9, 2019
- Citation
- 19102414
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Partly granted
The Board granted higher ratings for the Veteran's service-connected carpal tunnel syndrome and cubital tunnel syndrome of both upper extremities, but remanded claims for service connection for sinusitis, calcified lymph nodes on the lungs, and cervical strain.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple conditions, including an acquired psychiatric disorder, sleep apnea, hypertension, and various musculoskeletal and skin disabilities.
- Dismissed
The appeals for restoration of ratings and for a higher disability rating were dismissed as the April 2025 rating decision did not make final decisions on these issues.
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