The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including cervicalgia, left and right hip disabilities, right ankle disability, diabetes mellitus, neuropathy of the lower and upper extremities, and a skin disability. The claim was also granted for a 20 percent rating for left ankle sprain with chronic achilles tendonitis and degenerative arthritis.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show that any of the claimed conditions had their onset in service or were otherwise related to service, as required by law.
- Claimed conditions
- cervicalgia, left hip disability, right hip disability, right ankle disability, diabetes mellitus, neuropathy, left lower extremity, neuropathy, right lower extremity, neuropathy, left upper extremity, neuropathy, right upper extremity, skin disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- April 15, 2025
- Citation
- A25034601
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.
- 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).
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for cervicalgia, jaw disability, stomach disability, and drug abuse as the evidence did not support a finding of an in-service incurrence or aggravation of these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for hypertension and diabetes mellitus to obtain further medical opinions regarding their potential relationship to toxic exposures during active service.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for right knee, right hip, and lumbar spine disabilities as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability but denied a rating in excess of 30 percent for his left knee disability prior to April 25, 2019.
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.