The Board dismissed the appeal of the claim for bilateral plantar fasciitis due to the Veteran's withdrawal during a hearing.,Service connection is granted for chronic fatigue syndrome, with consideration given to the Veteran's lay statements and service records indicating symptoms during service. The disability meets the criteria under 38 C.F.R. § 3.317(a)(2)(b).,Service connection is granted for obstructive sleep apnea based on the Veteran's personal testimony and statements from fellow servicemembers.,Service connection is granted for alopecia areata, with consideration given to the lack of clinical evidence at the time of examination.
The deciding factor: The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding bilateral plantar fasciitis during a hearing. The Board dismissed this issue as a result.,For chronic fatigue syndrome, the evidence is in equipoise and favorable to the Veteran's claim, meeting the criteria for service connection under 38 C.F.R. § 3.317(a)(2)(b).,The Veteran reported symptoms of snoring and hair loss during his deployment to Iraq, which were corroborated by fellow servicemembers' statements. The Board found these sufficient to establish a link between the current condition and service.,For alopecia areata, the VA examiner concluded that there was no clinical evidence at the time of examination supporting a connection to service.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral plantar fasciitis, chronic fatigue syndrome, obstructive sleep apnea, alopecia areata
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 12, 2019
- Citation
- 19128238
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,810 · Granted: 23% (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 19128238.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that there is no competent evidence to support a finding that his current condition began in or as a result of service.
- Denied
The Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA) has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as there is no current diagnosis of this condition during the appeal period.
- Partly granted
The Board has not made a final determination on the claims of service connection for inguinal hernia, PTSD, joint pain, fibromyalgia, left knee disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, chronic fatigue syndrome, respiratory disability, sleep disorder, IBS, and headaches. The claims are remanded to obtain additional evidence and determine if these conditions are related to service.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his active service or any related exposure.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.