The Board denied service connection for bilateral shoulder condition, residuals of right inguinal hernia surgery, migraine headaches, and obstructive sleep apnea as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during active service or were related to an in-service injury or disease.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's STRs showed no complaints, treatments, or manifestations of any of the claimed conditions. The Board found insufficient competent medical evidence to establish a relationship between the current disabilities and service.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral shoulder condition, residuals of right inguinal hernia surgery, migraine headaches, obstructive sleep apnea
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 16, 2020
- Citation
- 20004168
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's migraine headaches were granted a 50 percent disability rating, effective August 8, 2023, due to very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks that are productive of severe economic inadaptability.
- Granted
The Board granted a 50 percent rating for the Veteran's migraine headaches based on prostrating attacks occurring more than once a month and severe economic inadaptability.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for migraine headaches as proximately due to the Veteran's service-connected tinnitus.
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