The Board denied service connection for multiple disorders, including shoulder, spine, knee, and extremity conditions, as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in or related to the Veteran's military service.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show an in-service injury or disease process for any of the claimed conditions, nor was there sufficient medical evidence linking them to service. The Veteran's statements alone were not considered competent lay evidence due to the complexity of the etiology of these conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, lumbar spine disorder, cervical spine disorder, right knee disorder, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left lower extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity neuropathy, left lower extremity neuropathy, right upper extremity neuropathy, left upper extremity neuropathy, left big toe disorder, psychiatric disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 1, 2025
- Citation
- A25056912
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 denied earlier effective dates for the grant of service connection and granted initial 40 percent ratings for left upper extremity CTS, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's award of total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is granted effective from April 15, 2017, solely based on his unspecified anxiety disorder. The claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy was denied.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and special monthly compensation (SMC) housebound status, but dismissed the claims for initial ratings in excess of 40 percent for lumbosacral spine disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy.
- 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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