The Board has denied service connection for a respiratory disorder, left toe disability, and right toe disability due to lack of evidence showing the conditions were incurred or aggravated during service.,Service connection was also denied for skin disorders and back disorders. The Veteran's skin condition is currently under consideration as it may be related to post-service treatment, while his back and knee disabilities are being reviewed based on in-service reports.
The deciding factor: The preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that any current respiratory disorder, left toe disability, or right toe disability is linked to service. The Veteran's STRs do not document such conditions during his active duty.,For the skin condition and back disorders, the Board has determined there is insufficient evidence linking these disabilities to service. However, as the Veteran reported post-service treatment for a persistent rash and ongoing back pain, additional medical opinions are needed to clarify whether these conditions may be related to service.
- Claimed conditions
- Respiratory Disorder, Left Toe Disability, Right Toe Disability, Skin Disorder, Back Disorder, Right Foot Disability, Left Knee Disability, Right Knee Disability
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 21, 2021
- Citation
- 21075683
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 21075683.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities are rated at 10% each, and the Board finds that higher ratings are not warranted based on the evidence of record.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities are not related to his active service, and thus denied both claims for service connection.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a right knee disability, finding that there is no evidence to support an etiological relationship between his current condition and his military service.
- Denied
The Veteran's left knee disability is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds no evidence of clear and unmistakable error in assigning an effective date of June 19, 2002.
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.