The veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 due to additional disability from VA treatment in August 1993 was denied, as there is no medical evidence showing he currently has the conditions alleged. The claim for an initial evaluation of a left ulnar nerve injury also failed.
The deciding factor: The veteran's current condition does not align with his claimed disabilities and there is insufficient medical evidence to support his allegations of additional disability resulting from VA treatment in 1993.
- Claimed conditions
- damaged vocal cords, breathing problems, enlarged heart, hole in the chest, broken sternum wires left inside the chest
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- June 2, 2003
- Citation
- 0311171
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 464 · Granted: 21% (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 0311171.
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 case due to a duty-to-assist error in the March 2025 VA medical opinion, which did not consider the Veteran's theory of entitlement regarding his obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The claim for service connection for breathing problems is denied. The claim for service connection for OSA is remanded.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran is granted service connection for tremors, migraines, facet arthropathy (claimed as back pain), sciatic nerve radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, and sciatic nerve pain of the right lower extremity. Service connection for breathing problems, hypertension, and obstructive sleep apnea are denied.,The Veteran's service-connected conditions include tremors, migraines, facet arthropathy (claimed as back pain), sciatic nerve radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, and sciatic nerve pain of the right lower extremity. Service connection for breathing problems, hypertension, and obstructive sleep apnea are denied.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied the appellant's claims for service connection for breathing problems and tinnitus, as well as an effective date prior to January 22, 2023, for the grant of service connection for allergic rhinitis. The Board also remanded the issues of entitlement to a compensable disability rating for allergic rhinitis.,The appellant's claims are being remanded due to deficiencies in the VA medical opinions provided and the need for additional evidence regarding his tinnitus.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of medical opinion addressing whether the Veteran's enlarged heart is directly related to service or secondary to his hypertension.
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