The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including coronary artery disease, irritable colon syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, arthritis of the left hand, and amputation of the distal tip of the left thumb have been denied. Additionally, his claims for increased ratings for thoracolumbar strain, left hip trochanteric pain syndrome and iliopsoas tendonitis, right hip trochanteric pain syndrome and iliopsoas tendonitis, cervical spine disability, headache disability, and obstructive sleep apnea have also been denied.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not provide evidence of current disabilities for the conditions he claimed service connection for. The VA examiner found that his left hand arthritis was not related to his left thumb injury, which did not involve any bone or joint damage.
- Claimed conditions
- Coronary artery disease, Irritable colon syndrome, Chronic fatigue syndrome, Arthritis of the left hand, Amputation of the distal tip of the left thumb, Thoracolumbar strain, Left hip trochanteric pain syndrome and iliopsoas tendonitis, Right hip trochanteric pain syndrome and iliopsoas tendonitis, Cervical spine disability, Headache disability, Obstructive sleep apnea
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 24, 2019
- Citation
- 19131413
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,500 · Granted: 29% (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 19131413.
What this means for you
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected cervical spine disability is rated at 20 percent, the maximum rating available under the General Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. The evidence does not support a higher rating as his range of motion did not meet the criteria for an increased rating.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a duty to assist error, specifically regarding whether the Veteran's current conditions are aggravated by his service-connected DDD of the lumbosacral spine. The AOJ is required to obtain new medical opinions addressing this issue.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for initial compensable ratings for obstructive sleep apnea and headaches, finding that the evidence does not support a finding of persistent daytime hypersomnolence or other manifestations consistent with a compensable disability rating under the criteria established by Diagnostic Codes. The matter is remanded to obtain additional information from the Veteran regarding his headaches and their impact on his daily life.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for heart condition was granted with an effective date of August 1, 2019. The decision is based on evidence showing exposure to diesel and gas fuel during service.
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