The Veteran's claims for service connection for restless leg syndrome, neck disorder, and edema of the penis have been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence to support a finding that these conditions began during active service or are otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.,For PTSD, the Veteran was granted a 50 percent disability rating but not higher, as his symptoms did not meet the criteria for a 70 percent or 100 percent rating. The Board found that his symptoms were more consistent with a 50 percent rating.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's current conditions began during active service or are related to an in-service injury, event, or disease. The VA examiner’s opinion was given more weight than the Veteran's lay assertions regarding his symptoms.,For PTSD, the Board found that while the Veteran had some symptoms consistent with higher ratings (such as irritability and anxiety), they did not meet the criteria for a 70 percent or 100 percent rating. The severity of his symptoms was more closely aligned with a 50 percent rating.
- Claimed conditions
- restless leg syndrome, neck disorder, edema of the penis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 3, 2019
- Citation
- 19176801
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,548 · Granted: 31% (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 19176801.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeal before the Board could make a decision on his service connection claims.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability, restless leg syndrome, and respiratory disability due to lack of evidence showing in-service incurrence or aggravation of these conditions.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for service connection of sleep apnea, headaches, and a neck disorder have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service-connected tinnitus was denied as the evidence did not show entitlement prior to September 6, 2019.,Service connection for a neck disorder and bilateral hearing loss were both denied because there is no current disability found in the record.
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.