The Board denied service connection for various conditions and denied increased ratings for GERD, hypertension, chronic sinusitis, non-allergic rhinitis, bilateral hearing loss, functional abdominal pain syndrome, gastric ulcers, chronic fatigue syndrome, dermatitis - hands, post-traumatic stress disorder, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. Service connection was granted for a major depressive disorder (MDD), unspecified trauma and stressor-related disorder, unspecified eating disorder, and alcohol use disorder.
The deciding factor: The persuasive weight of the evidence did not support a finding that any of the claimed conditions were related to active service or resulted from an incident during service. The Veteran's MDD, unspecified trauma and stressor-related disorder, unspecified eating disorder, and alcohol use disorder were found to be directly related to his active service.
- Claimed conditions
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Hypertension, Chronic Sinusitis, Non-Allergic Rhinitis, Bilateral Hearing Loss (BHL), Functional Abdominal Pain Syndrome / Abdominal Pain and Bloating, Gastric Ulcers, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), Dermatitis - Hands, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Acquired Psychiatric Disorder, to include Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Unspecified Trauma and Stressor-Related Disorder, Unspecified Eating Disorder, Alcohol Use Disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 26, 2025
- Citation
- A25055400
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 claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and hypertension, to include as secondary to left orchiectomy, for further development in accordance with the PACT Act.
- 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 various disabilities and denied higher ratings for several service-connected conditions.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, type II, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, hypertension, asthma/lung disease, vision disability, bilateral plantar fasciitis, leukocytosis, kidney disease/kidney stones, enlarged prostate, sleep apnea, rheumatoid arthritis, lumbar spine disability, right ankle disability, and left ankle disability.
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.