The veteran's service-connected right leg amputation and left shoulder condition do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation due to loss of use of one upper extremity (left) and one lower extremity (right).
The deciding factor: The medical evidence does not show anatomical loss or significant loss of use of the left arm, preventing natural elbow action with prosthesis in place.
- Claimed conditions
- Left Shoulder Degenerative Arthritis, Right Leg Osteomyelitis with Above-Knee Amputation
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- March 6, 2003
- Citation
- 0303844
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,643 · Granted: 15% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 0303844.
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.
- Granted
The Board granted initial disability ratings of 30 percent for irritable bowel syndrome, 10 percent for chronic sinusitis, 50 percent for tension headaches, and 30 percent for left shoulder degenerative arthritis.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, including Reiter's Syndrome, from December 11, 2001.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder scar does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating. The claims of increased ratings for left shoulder degenerative arthritis, external hemorrhoids, and entitlement to TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's left shoulder disability, finding that there was no increase in severity of the preexisting condition during service and thus not meeting the criteria for direct service connection.
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.