The Board denied service connection for right foot arthritis, left foot arthritis, intestinal problems (GERD), muscle spasms in forearms, legs, back, and abdominal muscles, chronic epistaxis, and autoimmune disease (ulcerative colitis) as the evidence did not support a finding of a current disability or a nexus to service.
The deciding factor: The weight of the evidence showed no in-service injury, disease, or symptoms for any of the claimed conditions, and the earliest evidence of these conditions was many years after service. Additionally, there was no competent medical evidence linking any of the claimed conditions to TCE exposure during service.
- Claimed conditions
- right foot arthritis, left foot arthritis, intestinal problems (GERD), muscle spasms in forearms, legs, back, and abdominal muscles, chronic epistaxis, autoimmune disease (ulcerative colitis)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 5, 2021
- Citation
- 21061888
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 the veteran's claims for service connection, higher ratings, and earlier effective dates, as well as dismissed his claim for a TDIU.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for back and bilateral knee conditions was withdrawn by the Veteran.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for sleep apnea, right wrist sprain, left wrist disability manifested by pain, left foot arthritis, right foot arthritis and hallux valgus, headaches, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, degenerative changes of the cervical spine, right lateral epicondylitis (claimed as right arm disability), and left upper extremity cervical radiculopathy (claimed as left arm disability and left elbow disability).
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for right foot arthritis and an earlier effective date of January 3, 2017, for a psychiatric disability rating, but denied service connection for left ankle disorder, right ankle arthritis (secondary to PTSD), increased rating for psychiatric disability, TDIU, and obstructive sleep apnea.
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