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Denied

The Board denied service connection for a back disability, hypertension, and thyroid disorder. The Veteran's back disability is not shown to have had onset in service or within one year of discharge. Hypertension and thyroid disorder are not presumed due to Agent Orange exposure.,Service connection was also denied for the Veteran's hypertension as it did not manifest during service or within a post-service year, nor is there evidence linking it to service. The same applies to his thyroid disorder.,The Board found no direct link between the Veteran's current thyroid disorder and service.

The deciding factor: There was insufficient medical evidence to establish a nexus between the Veteran’s back disability and service, as well as no evidence of onset or continuity of symptomatology. Hypertension and thyroid disorders were not shown to have had their onset in service or within one year following discharge.,The Board determined that there is no direct link between the Veteran's hypertension and service due to lack of evidence linking it to any aspect of service, including Agent Orange exposure. The same applies to his thyroid disorder.

Claimed conditions
back disability, hypertension, thyroid disorder
How they argued it
Direct service connection
Exposure basis
None
Rating assigned
None in this decision
Decision date
October 7, 2020
Citation
20065285

Veterans Law Judge

John J. Crowley

Decisions by this judge: 3,319 · Granted: 25% (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 20065285.

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