The Board denied earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection for COPD, sleep apnea, left hand numbness, right hand numbness, type II diabetes, left foot numbness, right foot numbness, a right knee condition, a left hip condition, a right hip condition, and coronary artery disease.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claims were not supported by evidence of an intent to file a claim prior to October 13, 2021, or by sufficient evidence that the conditions arose before that date.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Sleep apnea, Left hand numbness, Right hand numbness, Type II diabetes, Left foot numbness, Right foot numbness, Right knee condition, Left hip condition, Right hip condition, Coronary artery disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 5, 2025
- Citation
- A25040810
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for chronic headaches, CFS, dermatosis, bilateral RLS, a lumbar spine disability, and sleep apnea but denied a compensable evaluation for allergic rhinitis.
- Partly granted
The Board granted readjudication of previously denied claims for service connection for PTSD and COPD, while remanding other issues including entitlement to service connection for an eye disorder, hypertension, tinnitus, a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, TDIU, and an initial rating for PTSD.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a low back disability, residuals of a right foot injury, sinusitis, shortness of breath, allergic rhinitis, and sleep apnea as there was no evidence to support a link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
- Denied
The appeal for service connection for PTSD was dismissed, and the claims for a compensable rating for the lower back scar, service connection for COPD, and peripheral artery disease were denied.
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