The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection and benefits due to lack of evidence showing a claim prior to September 9, 1997.
The deciding factor: There is no evidence of record reflecting a claim for any benefit prior to September 9, 1997.
- Claimed conditions
- dysthymia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bilateral orchitis, residuals of a fracture of the right wrist, nicotine dependence
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 18, 2004
- Citation
- 0412896
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 0412896.
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.
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The Board granted service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease, obstructive sleep apnea, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease but denied service connection for irritable bowel syndrome. The Board also denied an increased rating for the Veteran's service-connected psychiatric condition.
- Partly granted
The Board granted restoration of the 10 percent evaluation for left knee meniscus, effective April 21, 2025, and an additional 20 percent rating was also granted.
- Granted
The Board granted an increased (Level 2) stipend in the PCAFC for the Veteran's caregiver due to the need for continuous supervision and protection based on the Veteran's medical conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issues for further development and readjudication by the AOJ.
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