The Board denied service connection for an upper respiratory disability and a left forearm disability, finding that the Veteran's assertions of continuous symptoms since service were not credible due to the absence of contemporaneous medical notation. The Board also found no causal relationship between the in-service events and the current disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that there was insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between the Veteran's current respiratory and forearm conditions and his military service, given the lack of documented complaints or treatment for these conditions until many years after separation from active duty.
- Claimed conditions
- upper respiratory disability, left forearm disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 18, 2026
- Citation
- 26002267
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 26002267.
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: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issues of entitlement to service connection for an upper respiratory disability and a left forearm disability for additional medical opinions.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for hyperlipidemia and remanded the claims for periodic limb movement disorder, sleep condition, gastroesophageal reflux disease, irritable bowel syndrome, upper respiratory disability, elevated blood pressure, elevated prostate condition, fatigue, right hip condition, dizziness, fainting, or loss of consciousness, pneumonia/dyspnea, and skin, malignant neoplasm.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the claims for service connection for lower lumbar disability, upper respiratory disability, and bilateral hearing loss as there was no evidence of a current diagnosis.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for an upper respiratory disability and denied increased ratings for PTSD, CFS, and other conditions.
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