The Veteran's HIV infection is denied as there is no nexus between his service and the condition, despite his belief that it was caused by military sexual trauma. The Board found that the evidence does not support a finding of service connection.
The deciding factor: The medical opinions did not establish a link between the Veteran's HIV infection and his military sexual trauma (MST).
- Claimed conditions
- Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 26, 2026
- Citation
- A26027691
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 A26027691.
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: Denied
The Board denied service connection for HIV and AIDS, finding that the evidence does not support a link between these conditions and the Veteran's service-connected focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's HIV/AIDS is proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS).
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for HIV/AIDS as the evidence does not support a finding that it began during active service or is otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for HIV infection, TTP, chronic right eye disability, acute bronchitis, sleep apnea syndrome, and traumatic brain injury (TBI) as the evidence did not support a link to service or any other valid theory of service connection.
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