The Veteran's heart disease, including ischemic heart disease, arteriosclerotic heart disease, and coronary artery disease, was denied service connection due to lack of in-service onset or chronicity, as well as no evidence linking the condition to herbicide exposure.,Service connection for atopic dermatitis (claimed as skin rash lower torso) was also denied because there is no evidence that it began during service or is related to any disease, injury, or event in service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not have heart disease diagnosed in service and the current condition does not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection based on herbicide exposure. The Board found no continuity of symptoms since service that would support a finding of chronicity.,There is no evidence showing that the atopic dermatitis began during service or was related to any disease, injury, or event in service.
- Claimed conditions
- atopic dermatitis, heart disease (including ischemic heart disease, arteriosclerotic heart disease, and coronary artery disease)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 9, 2019
- Citation
- 19127266
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,200 · Granted: 43% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 19127266.
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Related decisions
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The Veteran's low back disability, diagnosed as lumbosacral strain, osseous & subluxation stenosis of lumbar foramina, is granted with a rating of 40 percent effective February 9, 2024. The other service connection claims are also granted.
- Denied
The Veteran's appeal is denied as the disability rating for atopic dermatitis and pilaris keratosis was reduced from 60 percent to 30 percent effective July 1, 2020. The Veteran does not meet criteria for a higher rating.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for left knee strain, obstructive sleep apnea, atopic dermatitis, chronic rhinitis, and chronic sinusitis due to insufficient medical opinions addressing all theories of entitlement. The Veteran's conditions are now considered significantly worsened.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's skin disability (atopic dermatitis, folliculitis, seborrheic dermatitis, and seborrheic keratosis) on a direct basis. The decision finds that there is at least an equipoise of evidence to support the claim, thus resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.
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