The veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disability, residuals of a right wrist ganglion, and gastrointestinal disability were denied. The claim for an increased rating from 20 percent for left shoulder impingement syndrome was granted with a current effective date.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner diagnosed the veteran with depressive disorder but did not find evidence to support service connection due to lack of medical records linking his condition to military service. Service connection for PTSD was denied as there is no competent medical evidence showing that the veteran has PTSD. The right wrist ganglion and its residuals were found to be pre-existing conditions, and thus not related to active duty. The left shoulder impingement syndrome claim was granted with a current effective date.
- Claimed conditions
- Depressive Disorder, Gastrointestinal Disability, Left Shoulder Impingement Syndrome, Right Wrist Ganglion
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- July 19, 2006
- Citation
- 0621252
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 396 · Granted: 19% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0621252.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for PTSD has been dismissed as the claim was granted and effective from February 22, 2023.
- Granted
The Veteran's psychiatric disorder, specifically depressive disorder, is rated at 70 percent effective from August 3, 2021. The claim for a higher rating remains denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's service-connected Depressive Disorder is causing him to require regular assistance in keeping himself clean and presentable, which may qualify him for special monthly compensation based on need for aid and attendance. The case is being remanded to schedule a VA examination to assess this issue.
- Granted
The Veteran's depressive disorder is rated at 70 percent, effective from the date of service connection (January 23, 2020), due to occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.
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.