The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including ankle pain, chronic lower back pain, GERD, hair thinning/loss, IBS, and others, as there was no evidence of a current diagnosis.
The deciding factor: There is no competent medical evidence demonstrating the Veteran has any of the claimed disabilities during or after active service.
- Claimed conditions
- Ankle pain, Chronic lower back pain, Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Hair thinning/loss, Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Left hand and finger pain/numbness, Right hand and finger pain/numbness, Left hip pain, Right hip pain, Left shoulder pain, Right shoulder pain, Right knee pain, Migraine headaches, Pelvic pain, Residuals of an inhalation injury, also claimed as sinusitis, Bilateral shin splints, Vertigo, Scars on hands
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 1, 2025
- Citation
- A25084608
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,329 · Granted: 31% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation A25084608.
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 Veteran's appeal for service connection for Dupuytren's contracture of the left hand, right hand, and GERD is remanded due to inadequate VA examination opinions and failure to consider toxic exposure risk activities during service.
- Denied
The Veteran's GERD is currently rated at 10 percent disabling, but the Board found that his symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), finding that both conditions are secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lower back condition and sinusitis, respectively.
- Denied
The Board has denied service connection for bladder cancer, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as there is no evidence to support a link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
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