The Board has reopened the appellant's claim for service connection due to new and material evidence submitted since the January 1978 decision. The Board also found that the appellant was in the line of duty when sustaining his injuries.
The deciding factor: New evidence, including testimony from the appellant at a hearing, supports the reopening of the claim as it provides direct evidence regarding the timing and circumstances of the accident.
- Claimed conditions
- broken toes, fractured patellae, fractured femora, fractured jaw, fractured skull
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 23, 2002
- Citation
- 0214861
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 0214861.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a back condition and compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for a fractured jaw due to inadequate medical opinions.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple claimed disabilities, including fractured skull, sinusitis, broken elbows, wrist injury, hand fracture, hips, knee and ankle injuries, as there was no evidence of current disability or functional impairment related to these claims.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the cases due to additional VA treatment records and examination reports being added after the February 2022 hearing. The claims for service connection for a back condition and compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for a fractured jaw need to be reconsidered by the AOJ.
- Granted
The Veteran's fractured jaw disability has resulted in a maximum unassisted vertical opening of 0 to 10 mm, warranting an initial rating of 40 percent. The appeal is granted for the period prior to November 20, 2020.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
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.