The Board denied service connection for tinea pedis, chronic skin irritation of the lower legs, COPD/bronchiectasis/calcified pleural plaques, Lyme disease, and balance/fall problems as there was no evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service or herbicide exposure.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's tinea pedis/dermatophytosis, Lyme disease, COPD, bronchiectasis, and calcified pleural plaques were less likely than not caused by his service including toxic exposure risk activities, as there was no medical or scientific evidence available to support a relationship between these conditions and herbicide exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral tinea pedis/dermatophytosis, chronic skin disorder other than tinea pedis/dermatophytosis manifested as skin irritation on lower legs, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchiectasis, and calcified pleural plaques, Lyme disease including residual fatigue, chronic disorder manifested by constant feeling of disequilibrium
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 2, 2025
- Citation
- A25103258
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,050 · Granted: 23% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation A25103258.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew all active appeals regarding the service connection issues listed in his May 18, 2022 Notice of Disagreement. The appeal is dismissed as withdrawn.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's service-connected musculoligamentous strain, right knee, is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
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.