The Board denied service connection for erectile dysfunction and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) as there was no evidence of an in-service event, injury, or disease relevant to these conditions and a nexus between the current disabilities and active duty. The claims for service connection for headaches, lumbar spine condition, left foot condition, right foot condition, right knee condition, right shoulder condition, cervical spine condition, and right upper extremity radiculopathy were remanded for further development.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not support a nexus between the claimed disabilities and active duty service or any service-connected disability. The Board found that there was no in-service event, injury, or disease relevant to these conditions, and VA medical records did not show that any clinician linked them to active duty.
- Claimed conditions
- erectile dysfunction, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), headaches, lumbar spine condition, left foot condition, right foot condition, right knee condition, right shoulder condition, cervical spine condition, right upper extremity radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 20, 2025
- Citation
- A25026064
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 earlier effective dates for TDIU and DEA, but denied increased ratings for various service-connected conditions.
- Denied
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).
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