The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for ptosis and neurofibromatosis, finding that both conditions pre-existed service and were not aggravated by military service. The Board also found that there was no clear and unmistakable evidence to rebut the presumption of soundness at entry into service.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that the Veteran's ptosis and neurofibromatosis disabilities existed prior to his military service, and any increase in severity during service was due to natural progression rather than aggravation by service activities.
- Claimed conditions
- ptosis, neurofibromatosis
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 21, 2020
- Citation
- 20068271
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,858 · Granted: 24% (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 20068271.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral eye condition should be remanded due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors and the need for an updated TERA Memorandum. The Veteran was not provided with a VA examination, and her allegations of exposure during basic training were not addressed.
- Granted
The Veteran's left eye ptosis rating was reduced from 30% to 10%, effective July 1, 2021, based on improvement in visual field.
- Dismissed
Your appeal has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death. The claims for service connection have not been decided.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has granted service connection for neurofibromatosis and remanded the issue of service connection for osteoarthritis (including back disability).
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.