The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support an increase in rating for post traumatic stress disorder or a compensable initial rating for residuals of shrapnel wound to the middle finger of the left hand, and denied service connection for residuals of shrapnel wounds of the right wrist and forearm.
The deciding factor: The veteran's psychiatric disability was rated as 30 percent disabling under the old criteria but not higher. The new criteria did not support a higher rating either. For the initial rating claim, there was no evidence of significant impairment in work efficiency or social functioning. Service connection for residuals of shrapnel wounds to the right wrist and forearm was denied due to lack of medical evidence linking these conditions to service.
- Claimed conditions
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Residuals of shrapnel wound to the middle finger of the left hand
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 26, 2000
- Citation
- 0010974
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 0010974.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for a back disability due to a duty to assist error, specifically regarding VA's failure to provide the Veteran with a VA examination prior to the rating decision.
- Granted
The Board granted a 50 percent rating for the Veteran's migraine headaches based on prostrating attacks occurring more than once a month and severe economic inadaptability.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for special monthly compensation based on loss of use of his left foot, as there was no evidence showing that the service-connected conditions resulted in functional limitation equal to that of amputation of the left foot with prosthesis.
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