The Board denied the claim for service connection of scleroderma, finding that there is no medical evidence linking the condition to the veteran's exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune during his ACDUTRA period in 1962. The examiner concluded that the veteran did not serve long enough at Camp Lejeune to be considered exposed for a presumed service connection.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found no medical evidence linking the veteran's scleroderma to his exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune during his ACDUTRA period in 1962, as the condition was diagnosed years after this period and there is limited/suggestive evidence of an association between TCE, PCE or solvent mixture exposure and scleroderma.
- Claimed conditions
- scleroderma
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Camp Lejeune water
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- April 4, 2019
- Citation
- 19125401
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,886 · Granted: 24% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19125401.
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: Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment since June 30, 2018. The Board has granted a TDIU effective July 1, 2018.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to their death. The claims for special monthly compensation, scleroderma service connection, Raynaud's disease service connection, bilateral hearing loss rating, and PTSD rating are not currently before the Board.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal regarding service connection for various conditions has been dismissed due to their death.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection of lipomas, scleroderma, and polymyositis.
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