The Board denied service connection for a left shoulder disorder, left ankle disorder, right ankle disorder, right shoulder disorder, headaches, and low back disorder. The Board also denied an increased rating for PTSD with recurrent major depressive disorder, mild, with anxious distress (PTSD) from October 22, 2020 to July 10, 2021.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not establish a link between the Veteran's claimed conditions and his active service. The Board found that the Veteran's statements were inconsistent with the available evidence of record and there was no medical evidence indicating a nexus between the Veteran's symptoms and his service.
- Claimed conditions
- left shoulder disorder, left ankle disorder, right ankle disorder, right shoulder disorder, headaches, low back disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 1, 2025
- Citation
- A25056856
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 headaches and increased ratings for left shoulder rotator cuff tear, right shoulder rotator cuff tear, hypertension, and left and right leg restless leg syndrome. The Board denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an increased initial disability evaluation of headaches due to an inadequate VA examination.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple disabilities, including cervical spine and thoracolumbar spine disabilities, radiculopathies, a bladder disability, headaches, a left knee disability, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and bilateral conjunctivitis. The Board also granted entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including a head injury, headache disorder, erectile dysfunction, left earache disorder, chronic fatigue, right shoulder disorder, irritable bowel syndrome, right foot disorder, GERD, and left shoulder disorder, as the evidence did not support current diagnoses of these conditions.
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