The Board denied the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and remanded claims for other disabilities due to a pre-decisional error in the duty to assist.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claimed conditions were not shown to be present during active service or shortly thereafter, and there is no evidence of a chronic disability. Additionally, VA examinations are needed to determine the nature and etiology of the remaining claimed disabilities on appeal.
- Claimed conditions
- depression, anxiety, insomnia, adjustment disorder, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), sinusitis, cervical spine disability, right shoulder disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, neurological impairment of the right lower extremity, neurological impairment of the left lower extremity, bilateral shin splints, right ankle disability, bilateral pes planus, bilateral plantar fasciitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 29, 2025
- Citation
- A25047734
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to ensure a proper examination and etiology opinion are provided.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and pernicious anemia, and the Board dismissed both appeals.
- 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).
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, cubital tunnel syndrome, right plantar fasciitis, and a right knee disability due to the lack of evidence supporting a nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
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