The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a left rib fracture, right knee injury, third degree burns on the hands and face, laceration of the chin, tumor on the right side of the rib cage, chronic respiratory disability, cardiovascular renal disease (hypertension), tinnitus, musculoskeletal pain in the shoulder and neck, and chronic stomach pain. The decisions are final based on evidence from service records.
The deciding factor: The veteran's claims were denied as there was no evidence of a nexus between his current conditions and service, or they preexisted service.
- Claimed conditions
- left rib fracture, injury to the right knee, third degree burns on the hands and face, laceration of the chin, tumor on the right side of rib cage, chronic respiratory disability (asthma, emphysema status post thoracotomy, pain right side of chest, chronic bronchitis, chronic sinusitis and allergies), cardiovascular renal disease (hypertension), tinnitus, musculoskeletal pain and pain in shoulder and behind neck (osteoarthritis and/or septic arthritis of the right shoulder), chronic stomach pain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 17, 2003
- Citation
- 0305009
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,480 · Granted: 26% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0305009.
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 has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issues of foot disability and cardiovascular disorder are remanded for additional development.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran experienced tinnitus during his active duty service.
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