The Board denied service connection for various conditions including left shoulder, neck, back, hip, foot, knee, esophageal (GERD), ankle, psychiatric (PTSD), and heart disorders. The Board found that these conditions were not related to active duty service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners determined that the Veteran's current diagnoses are not related to his active duty service or any in-service events.
- Claimed conditions
- left shoulder disorder, neck disorder, back disorder, bilateral hip disorder, bilateral foot disorder, bilateral knee disorder, esophageal disorder (GERD), bilateral ankle disorder, acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD), heart disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 29, 2020
- Citation
- 20007435
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including a head injury, headache disorder, erectile dysfunction, left earache disorder, chronic fatigue, right shoulder disorder, irritable bowel syndrome, right foot disorder, GERD, and left shoulder disorder, as the evidence did not support current diagnoses of these conditions.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and increased ratings, as well as higher levels of special monthly compensation.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for a heart disorder, specifically atrial fibrillation, due to exposure to herbicide agents during active duty service in the Republic of Vietnam.
- Dismissed
The veteran withdrew the appeal for all service connection and rating issues, and the Board has no jurisdiction to review these matters.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.