The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia with hypogammaglobulinemia, splenomegaly, thrombocytopenia and myelodysplastic syndrome.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not reach equipoise regarding whether an earlier effective date than May 13, 2014, for the grant of service connection was warranted.
- Claimed conditions
- Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia with hypogammaglobulinemia, splenomegaly, thrombocytopenia, myelodysplastic syndrome
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- August 22, 2019
- Citation
- 19165438
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,890 · Granted: 32% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 19165438.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for blood cancer, leukemia, eye disorder, myelodysplastic syndrome, and thrombocytopenia due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated by his military service. The case is remanded for further development.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for hepatitis C and its secondary effects on other conditions, including cirrhosis of the liver, diabetes mellitus type II, esophageal varices, hepatic encephalopathy, and splenomegaly.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection for myeloproliferative disorder and thrombocytopenia, related to in-service radiation exposure during Operation Tomodachi, are being remanded due to the need for a VA examination. The issues of entitlement to a temporary total disability rating due to hospitalization or treatment for a service-connected condition requiring convalescence are also being remanded as they are inextricably intertwined with the service connection claims.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's red cell aplasia and myelodysplastic syndrome were not found to be related to service, specifically exposure at Camp Lejeune. The Board determined that the presumptive service connection for contaminated water exposure did not apply due to insufficient time spent at Camp Lejeune.
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