The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for mental disorders, bilateral leg and foot disorders, back disorder, and bilateral hand disorders. The evidence did not support current diagnoses related to these conditions.
The deciding factor: There was no evidence of a current diagnosis or association with service for any of the claimed disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- mental disorder, bilateral leg disorder, bilateral foot disorder, back disorder, bilateral hand disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 31, 2003
- Citation
- 0329971
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 0329971.
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 Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. §1151 for an increase in a mental disorder as a result of the March 2015 bilateral inguinal hernia surgery at the VAMC in Houston, Texas, is granted.
- Dismissed
The veteran withdrew the appeal for all service connection and rating issues, and the Board has no jurisdiction to review these matters.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's petition to reopen claims for service connection for a back disorder and tinnitus, as new and material evidence was not submitted.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for pes planus (flat feet) and remanded several other issues, including service connection for various disorders and increased ratings for the right knee. The Board granted a 20 percent rating for right knee instability.
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