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Whole decision: Denied

The Board denied service connection for residuals of exposure to SARS, intestinal surgery, hemorrhoids, and hernia. The evidence did not support the Veteran's claims that he was exposed to SARS or had gastrointestinal issues due to his military service.,The examiner concluded that the Veteran’s conditions were not related to his military service, including his Gulf War service and anthrax vaccination.

The deciding factor: The Board found no evidence of exposure to SARS during active service and determined that the Veteran's gastrointestinal issues did not have a clear and specific etiology or diagnosis linked to his military service. The examiner concluded that the conditions were more likely due to obesity, constipation, and other lifestyle factors.

Claimed conditions
residuals of exposure to SARS, intestinal surgery, hemorrhoids, hernia
How they argued it
Direct service connection
Exposure basis
None
Rating
Not verified here — check the original decision
Decision date
May 6, 2023
Citation
23026532

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 23026532.

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.

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