The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for lupus, finding that her condition did not begin during or is related to a period of active duty or Reserve service.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran’s lupus began during or is related to any period of active duty or Reserve service, including exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune and sun exposure during reserve training exercises.
- Claimed conditions
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (lupus)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 12, 2019
- Citation
- 19128769
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.
- Denied
The Board denied a higher initial rating for systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus) prior to January 12, 2011, finding that the Veteran's symptoms did not more nearly approximate severe impairment of health with frequent exacerbations and visible or palpable tissue loss.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD due to an inadequate medical opinion.
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