The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, as well as a TDIU.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not meet the criteria for higher ratings or service connection due to the severity of his symptoms and their impact on health, and there was no evidence supporting a TDIU claim.
- Claimed conditions
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) with hiatal hernia, Esophagogastric junction narrowing, Hypothyroidism, Degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, Degenerative arthritis with calcium pyrophosphate deposition of the right hand, Degenerative arthritis with calcium pyrophosphate deposition of the left hand, Acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD with memory loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 18, 2025
- Citation
- A25036043
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding a causal relationship between the condition and an in-service incident of military sexual trauma (MST).
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the issue of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an effective date of May 29, 2019 for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder but denied earlier effective dates and increased ratings for other conditions.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a right knee disorder, and a lumbar spine disorder.
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.