The veteran's claim for reimbursement of non-VA medical expenses incurred in March 2002 was denied because he did not meet the eligibility criteria under VA regulations, specifically failing to show enrollment in the VA health care system within the 24-month period preceding the emergency treatment.
The deciding factor: The veteran failed to provide evidence that he had been enrolled in the VA healthcare system and received VA medical services within the 24 months prior to receiving non-VA emergency treatment for his left hand injury.
- Claimed conditions
- left hand injury
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 27, 2006
- Citation
- 0602527
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for left hand injury to obtain additional evidence and a more thorough medical opinion.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the veteran's left hand injury, left foot condition, right foot condition, left ankle strain, and right ankle strain. The evidence did not show a current diagnosis or symptoms related to these conditions.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for increased rating for left hand scars and initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied. Service connection for left hand arthritis of the long finger and ring and little fingers was granted with a 10% rating effective February 4, 2020.
- Granted
The Veteran's left hand injury, unspecified joint swelling and pain, ddd of the lumbar spine, sleep apnea, skin rash, face, chest, and arms, and headaches are all found to be related to service.,Service connection is granted for these conditions.
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