The Board denied service connection for bilateral pes planus, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), erectile dysfunction, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to a lack of evidence supporting a nexus between the conditions and the Veteran's active duty service.
The deciding factor: The persuasive weight of the evidence is against a finding that any of the claimed conditions began during or are otherwise related to the Veteran's first period of active-duty service. Additionally, there is clear and unmistakable evidence that any progression of his preexisting bilateral pes planus was due to natural progression of the condition.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral pes planus, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), erectile dysfunction, including as secondary to OSA, acquired psychiatric disorder, including as secondary to erectile dysfunction
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 15, 2025
- Citation
- A25034661
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 Veteran was granted a 70 percent initial disability rating for PTSD effective December 2, 2021, but the claim for an increased rating in excess of 70 percent was denied. The appeal also included claims for service connection and ratings for various conditions, some of which were granted while others were remanded.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) based on the Veteran's exposure to in-service chemical agents.
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.