The Veteran's claims for service connection related to traumatic brain injury, left and right lower extremity cold exposure, bilateral upper and lower extremity cold exposure, hand pain, shin splints, respiratory illness (barracks mold), and sinusitis have been denied. The Board has remanded the issues of left and right knee pain, skin disease, bilateral shin splints, and respiratory illness due to barracks mold for further development.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service treatment records do not contain complaints or diagnoses related to these conditions, and his current symptoms are attributed to overcompensation from a lower back injury.
- Claimed conditions
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI), Left lower extremity cold exposure, Right lower extremity cold exposure, Left upper extremity cold exposure, Right upper extremity cold exposure, Left hand pain (also claimed as hand pain/arthritis), Right hand pain (also claimed as hand pain/arthritis), Bilateral shin splints, Respiratory illness (also claimed as lung illness barracks mold), Sinusitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 26, 2026
- Citation
- A26017687
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 A26017687.
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: Granted
The Veteran's service connection claims for traumatic brain injury and migraine headaches due to right eye removal are granted. The claim for a compensable evaluation of xeroderma of the right eye is remanded.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's sinusitis is currently rated at a noncompensable evaluation. The Board has granted a 30 percent evaluation for sinusitis as of February 19, 2021, based on the number and duration of incapacitating episodes requiring antibiotic treatment.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for higher disability ratings in excess of 20 percent for cervical spine and lumbar spine conditions, left knee condition, right knee condition, and sinusitis. The Veteran was granted service connection for chronic laryngeal papillomatosis.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) was denied because the disability is not shown as chronic in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period; continuity of symptomatology is not established; and the disability is not otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury or disease.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability was denied because the disability was not shown as chronic in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period; continuity of symptomatology is not established; and the disability is not otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury or disease.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a traumatic brain injury (TBI) was denied because there is no evidence of loss of consciousness or memory impairment following the motor vehicle accident during service, and post-service VA treatment records do not show a diagnosis of TBI.
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