The VA denied an increased rating for the appellant's service-connected residuals of right rib injuries, including reflex sympathetic dystrophy, as they do not warrant a higher than currently assigned 20 percent disability rating.
The deciding factor: The appellant's disability is already rated at the maximum allowable under Diagnostic Code 8519 (incomplete paralysis of the long thoracic nerve) and does not meet the criteria for a 30 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 5201 (limitation of motion of the arm).
- Claimed conditions
- residuals of right rib injuries, reflex sympathetic dystrophy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 26, 2001
- Citation
- 0127640
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 0127640.
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: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for a respiratory disorder, rib disorder, fibromyalgia, reflex sympathetic dystrophy, and psoriasis due to an inadequate medical opinion.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for all the claimed conditions as there was no evidence to support a causal relationship between any of these disabilities and the Veteran's active duty service.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for rib disorder, reflex sympathetic dystrophy, fibromyalgia, respiratory disorder, skin condition, to include psoriasis, bilateral hand arthritis, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, and bilateral ulnar neuropathy. However, the claims for service connection for bilateral hand arthritis, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, bilateral ulnar neuropathy, hypertension, rib disorder, reflex sympathetic dystrophy, fibromyalgia, respiratory disorder, and skin condition, to include psoriasis, have been denied.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for prostate cancer, fibromyalgia, reflex sympathetic dystrophy, chronic arthritis, left ankle disability, cervical spine (neck) disability, lumbar spine disability, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, and radiculopathy of the right upper extremity as there is no evidence of an in-service injury or event related to these conditions.
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