The Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) found that the veteran did not present sufficient new and material evidence to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for the residuals of a shrapnel wound, including low back disorder and heart disorder. The March 1992 decision by the RO remains final.
The deciding factor: The additional evidence submitted was cumulative and did not show that the veteran had suffered from any shrapnel wounds in service or that his current conditions were related to his period of service.
- Claimed conditions
- Low Back Disorder, Heart Disorder
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 21, 2000
- Citation
- 0007538
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 0007538.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities. The claims for a heart disorder and prostate cancer were remanded.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for erectile dysfunction, service connection for a low back disorder, and earlier effective dates for TDIU, DEA eligibility, and SMC at the housebound rate.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for right hand tremors as a manifestation of tardive dyskinesia and carotidynia due to enlarged lymph nodes, while denying service connection for other conditions including irritable bowel syndrome, gastritis, gastric ulcer, submandibular scar, bone spurs of the feet, low back disorder, plantar fasciitis, enlarged right testicle, and cyst on the back.
- Partly granted
The Board denied an initial compensable rating for COPD and remanded the claims for service connection for a heart disorder and chronic kidney disease.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.