The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart condition to include chest pains, claiming it is secondary to service-connected sarcoidosis. The claims for fatigue (secondary to radiation enteritis), sleep apnea (secondary to PTSD), and penile shortening (secondary to prostate cancer) are remanded.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a heart condition, including chest pain, which is required for service connection. The claims for fatigue, sleep apnea, and penile shortening were also remanded due to insufficient evidence in the record regarding their etiology.
- Claimed conditions
- {"condition_name":"heart condition to include chest pains","claimed_condition":"heart condition"}, {"condition_name":"fatigue","claimed_condition":"fatigue, claimed as secondary to service-connected radiation enteritis"}, {"condition_name":"sleep apnea","claimed_condition":"sleep apnea, claimed as secondary to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)"}, {"condition_name":"penile shortening","claimed_condition":"penile shortening, claimed as secondary to service-connected prostate cancer"}
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 21, 2019
- Citation
- 19165053
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 19165053.
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.
- 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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for myasthenia gravis based on the Veteran's exposure to hazardous substances during his military service.
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