The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and granted it. The claims for service connection for Insomnia and Lupus Nephritis are also granted.
The deciding factor: New medical evidence provided by a private rheumatologist supports the Veteran's contention that her systemic lupus erythematosus had its onset during active duty, meeting the criteria for reopening the claim and granting it. The Board found the opinion to be highly probative in establishing service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Anemia, Insomnia, Lupus Nephritis
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 10, 2019
- Citation
- 19127965
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for insomnia, fatigue, gallstones, varicose veins, anemia, colitis, and PTSD due to a lack of evidence supporting the claims.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeal in September 2025, stating that she is now 100% permanently and totally disabled effective April 29, 2025.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) but denied service connection for PTSD and a higher rating for the unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder/major depressive disorder/insomnia.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for a separate 50 percent initial rating for insomnia as secondary to tinnitus, and denied an increased rating for tinnitus. The Board also granted service connection for headache disability, low back disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, cervical spine disability, and right upper extremity radiculopathy.
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