The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for scleroderma as there is no current diagnosis of this condition and it does not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the Veteran did not have a current diagnosis of scleroderma or any other autoimmune disease, thus failing to meet the first element of service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- scleroderma
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 23, 2023
- Citation
- 23011293
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 23011293.
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
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment since June 30, 2018. The Board has granted a TDIU effective July 1, 2018.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to their death. The claims for special monthly compensation, scleroderma service connection, Raynaud's disease service connection, bilateral hearing loss rating, and PTSD rating are not currently before the Board.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal regarding service connection for various conditions has been dismissed due to their death.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection of lipomas, scleroderma, and polymyositis.
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