The Board has dismissed the claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent for residuals of retained shrapnel, left hand; service connection for rheumatoid arthritis; service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder (depression); service connection for left hand carpal tunnel syndrome; service connection for a respiratory disability; service connection for a skin disorder (dermatitis); and service connection for right ear hearing loss disability. The Veteran's claim of entitlement to Sjogren’s disease has been granted.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's diagnosed Sjogren’s disease had its onset in service, resolving all doubt in favor of the Veteran.
- Claimed conditions
- Sjogren’s disease, Headaches, Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Degenerative Disc Disease of the Lumbar Spine, Radiculopathy of the Right Lower Extremity
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 18, 2019
- Citation
- 19195169
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,902 · Granted: 11% (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 19195169.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as the evidence shows a current diagnosis of PTSD, an in-service stressor, and a medical link between the two.
- Denied
The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50% since March 23, 2004. The Board found that a higher rating is not warranted prior to February 15, 2005 due to the severity of his symptoms and their impact on his social and occupational functioning.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and any acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current mental health conditions and his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 70% disability rating. The Veteran also met the criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
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