The Board denied service connection for a right hand condition, including the ring finger, fibromyalgia (claimed as chronic fatigue syndrome), migraine headaches, back disorder, folliculitis and acne, and obstructive sleep apnea. The Veteran's right hand injury is not related to his military service, while his other conditions are not considered service-connected.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran’s right hand condition was not caused by his military service and did not find any evidence of a link between his other claimed conditions and his military service.
- Claimed conditions
- {"condition_name":"right hand condition, including the right ring (4th) finger"}, {"condition_name":"fibromyalgia, also claimed as chronic fatigue syndrome"}, {"condition_name":"migraine headaches"}, {"condition_name":"back disorder, also claimed as fibromyalgia"}, {"condition_name":"folliculitis and acne"}, {"condition_name":"obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)"}
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 21, 2019
- Citation
- 19188200
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 19188200.
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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