The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected disabilities, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings under the applicable rating criteria.
The deciding factor: The VA medical records and examination reports provided no evidence of any new or aggravating conditions warranting higher disability ratings.
- Claimed conditions
- Decreased sensation of the median nerve, Hydradenitis suppurativa with epidermoid inclusion cysts of the groin, Residuals of a shell fragment wound to the abdomen, Residuals of a shell fragment wound to the right elbow and upper forearm, Residues of a shell fragment wound of the left upper chest
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- April 29, 2003
- Citation
- 0308120
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,710 · Granted: 15% (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 0308120.
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: Granted
The Veteran's service connected disabilities, primarily his PTSD and diabetic peripheral neuropathy, preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board granted an increased evaluation of 30 percent for the veteran's residuals of a shell fragment wound to the right thigh, involving Muscle Group XIV. The claim for an increased evaluation for the right forearm was denied and a compensable evaluation for the abdomen was also denied.
- Whole decision: 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.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
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