The Board has denied all service connection claims for various conditions, including lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, left shoulder disability, ulnar neuropathy of the LUE, bilateral eye disabilities (claimed as eyelid styes), respiratory disabilities, hypertension, and hemorrhoids. The reasons provided include lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or active duty.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was no medical evidence showing a direct link between any of the claimed conditions and service, with some conditions being attributed to post-service work injuries or other causes.
- Claimed conditions
- {"condition_name":"lumbar spine disability","diagnosis":"degenerative disc disease (DDD)"}, {"condition_name":"cervical spine disability","diagnosis":"degenerative arthritis, status post discectomy/fusion"}, {"condition_name":"left shoulder disability","diagnosis":"acromioclavicular (AC) joint osteoarthritis, tendinopathy, or status post rotator cuff tear repair"}, {"condition_name":"ulnar neuropathy of the left upper extremity","diagnosis":"ulnar neuropathy of the LUE"}, {"condition_name":"bilateral eye disability","diagnosis":"cataracts and dry eye syndrome"}, {"condition_name":"respiratory disabilities, to include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)","diagnosis":"chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)"}, {"condition_name":"hypertension (HTN)","diagnosis":"hypertension (HTN)"}, {"condition_name":"diabetes mellitus (DM)","diagnosis":"diabetes mellitus (DM)"}, {"condition_name":"hemorrhoids","diagnosis":"hemorrhoids"}
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 25, 2019
- Citation
- 19181233
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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