The Board has denied the veteran's claims for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred during a private hospitalization and outpatient treatment, finding that no emergency existed at the time of the treatment.
The deciding factor: The VA Medical Administration Service determined that the treatment was nonemergent in nature and that there were available VA facilities to treat the veteran.
- Claimed conditions
- Complete paralysis of the right ulnar nerve, Traumatic encephalopathy with retained foreign bodies in the brain, Traumatic anatomical loss of the left eye, Residuals of a shell fragment wound of the right Muscle Groups V and VI, Left ear scar, Bilateral tinnitus, Residuals of a shell fragment wound of the lumbar region
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 17, 2000
- Citation
- 0004203
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0004203.
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-connected acquired psychiatric disability, ischemic cardiomyopathy, and other disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation since December 29, 2020. Effective from that date, the Veteran is granted TDIU and SMC housebound.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral tinnitus, finding that his in-service exposure to hazardous noise caused his current condition.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted an earlier effective date of July 26, 2017 for the award of TDIU due to service-connected psychiatric disability and an earlier effective date of November 9, 2018 for the award of SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s).
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnosis of bilateral tinnitus is related to service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
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