The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including right and left shoulder disabilities, right and left hip disabilities, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), headaches, chronic fatigue syndrome, as the evidence did not support a nexus to service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's current conditions were less likely than not related to his military service and were more likely due to other factors such as overuse, fibromyalgia, alcohol consumption, and environmental triggers.
- Claimed conditions
- right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, right hip disability, left hip disability, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), headaches, chronic fatigue syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 8, 2025
- Citation
- 25008918
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and pernicious anemia, and the Board dismissed both appeals.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for headaches and increased ratings for left shoulder rotator cuff tear, right shoulder rotator cuff tear, hypertension, and left and right leg restless leg syndrome. The Board denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for asthma and remanded claims for insomnia and sleep apnea. Other conditions were denied.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and various musculoskeletal issues, as well as an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for rhinitis. However, the Board granted a 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
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