The Board granted service connection for dermatomyositis, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.
The deciding factor: The May 2017 VA examiner provided a positive nexus opinion based on the rarity of the illness and the Veteran's lack of family history, while the November 2023 opinion did not provide sufficient evidence to support its conclusion.
- Claimed conditions
- dermatomyositis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- April 9, 2025
- Citation
- A25032748
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 134 · Granted: 38% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 A25032748.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for dermatomyositis and diabetes mellitus due to insufficient evidence in the record. The case will be reviewed with a new examination that considers both the Veteran's service records and his exposure during military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for connective tissue disease and dermatomyositis due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of these conditions. The AOJ is instructed to obtain additional opinions from qualified clinicians to address whether the Veteran's conditions are related to her in-service exposure, including any potential synergistic effects of multiple exposures.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection of dermatomyositis, PTSD, anxiety disorder, and sleep apnea due to a full grant of benefits effective May 13, 2019.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for dermatomyositis, finding the evidence persuasive against it being incurred in or caused by service.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.