The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection due to lack of evidence showing an intent to file a claim prior to March 1, 2004.
The deciding factor: There is no evidence in the record prior to March 1, 2004 that shows the veteran had filed a claim or expressed intent to file a claim for service connection for his right hand and bilateral foot disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- status post laceration with ulnar nerve damage with peripheral neuropathy of the right hand, scar on the right hand, status post removal of neuroma, 3rd and 4th toes and osteoarthritis changes of the first metatarsal phalangeal joint of left foot with scar, osteoarthritis changes of the right foot
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 4, 2008
- Citation
- 0803923
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 0803923.
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 Board denied service connection for all four claimed disabilities (right shoulder, left knee, right ankle, and scar on the right hand) as there was no persuasive evidence linking them to active service.
- Denied
The Board denied all claims for earlier effective dates, finding that the earliest date of receipt of a claim was November 27, 2012.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for further development to determine his ability to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran's scar on the right hand does not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent, as it is not deep and does not involve an area of at least 12 square inches (77 sq. cm.) and does not cause disabling effects not considered in the applicable diagnostic code.
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.