The Board denied increased ratings for post-operative gynecomastia and granted a 10 percent rating for lumbar spine injury. The decision is unclear regarding the disposition of the veteran's spinal disability claim.
The deciding factor: The RO failed to address the veteran's spinal disability claim in its June 2004 statement of the case, which was sent with an explicit notice of appellate rights and a Form 9 for appeal submission.
- Claimed conditions
- gynecomastia, lumbar spine injury
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- September 23, 2008
- Citation
- 0832647
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0832647.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The appeal concerning the service connection claims for various conditions and initial compensable evaluations for service-connected erectile dysfunction and bilateral hearing loss is dismissed due to the Veteran's death.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted readjudication of the issues of service connection for hypogonadism and gynecomastia due to new evidence received since the last rating decision. The claims of service connection for squamous blepharitis, upper and lower eyelid with dry eye syndrome and pinguecula, left eye, right eye are also remanded.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that there was a duty to assist error in the prior decision and has remanded the case for further development regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected back disability caused or aggravated his gynecomastia.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim should be remanded due to a duty to assist error regarding toxic exposure assessment and for an examination to determine the nature and etiology of his status post-removal gynecomastia and hypertrophy.
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