The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right shoulder and right ankle disabilities, as well as service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. The denial was based on lack of evidence linking current diagnoses to service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found no medical evidence or competent opinion linking current diagnoses of right shoulder arthritis and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome to the veteran's military service.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Shoulder Injury with Traumatic Arthritis, Bilateral Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 28, 2004
- Citation
- 0420526
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 0420526.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and residuals of a right ankle fracture, did not render her unemployable prior to August 11, 2021. The Board found that the Veteran was unemployable due to a nonservice-connected psychotic disorder.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not rated higher than noncompensable, his right knee disability did not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to July 16, 2019 or 30 percent from September 1, 2020, and he failed to establish service connection for chronic bronchitis (COPD), fungal infection, left knee disorder, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, left elbow disorder, or diabetes.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for aid and attendance due to service-connected disabilities, finding that there was no persuasive evidence showing he needed regular aid and assistance from another person or was housebound as a result of his service-connected conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to uncertainty regarding the Veteran's diagnosis of ALS and insufficient evidence on other conditions. The issues related to sleep apnea, prostate cancer, and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome require additional medical opinions.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.