The Board denied service connection for COPD, thrombocytopenia, GERD, and Barrett's esophagus as they are not related to the Veteran's service or toxic exposures.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not support a direct relationship between the claimed conditions and the Veteran's service, including toxic exposures. Additionally, there is no evidence of a secondary relationship to his service-connected atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).
- Claimed conditions
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), thrombocytopenia, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Barrett's esophagus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 26, 2025
- Citation
- 25008417
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.
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The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) as the appellant does not have a documented history of recurrent or refractory esophageal stricture(s).
- Denied
The Board denied the claims for an initial compensable disability rating for right inguinal hernia surgery and service connection for a low back disability, as well as remanded the claims for service connection for GERD and entitlement to an increased rating for hypertension.
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