The Board has denied service connection for various conditions, including PTSD, atrial fibrillation, peripheral arterial disease, parathyroid disability, seizure disorder, and swallowing disorder. The Veteran's claims were also denied for reopening his claims for lip cancer and stroke residuals due to lack of new and material evidence.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the preponderance of the evidence did not support service connection for any of the claimed conditions based on either direct or secondary service connection criteria, as well as the denial of reopening the previously denied claims for lip cancer and stroke residuals.
- Claimed conditions
- Acquired Psychiatric Disorder (to include PTSD), Atrial Fibrillation, Peripheral Arterial Disease, Parathyroid Disability, Seizure Disorder, Swallowing Disorder, Lip Cancer, Residuals of a Stroke
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- June 18, 2020
- Citation
- 20041636
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 20041636.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
Service connection for OSA is granted, and the Veteran's initial ratings for atrial fibrillation, right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, right upper extremity neuralgia, and left upper extremity neuralgia are all granted at 10 percent.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for Congestive Heart Failure with Atrial Fibrillation with AICD and Hypertension (High Blood Pressure), finding that there was no evidence of direct service connection, and that the conditions were not caused or aggravated by service-connected OSA.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for SMC in excess of SMC(n) based on his service-connected conditions and additional disabilities, as well as his need for aid and attendance. The appeal was dismissed.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's claims for service connection for Traumatic Brain Injury and Seizure Disorder were granted with effective dates of April 18, 2019.,SMC at the housebound rate was also granted on this date.
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