The veteran was granted an earlier effective date of December 6, 2001 for the award of a 50 percent rating for right carpal tunnel syndrome and a 40 percent rating for left carpal tunnel syndrome.
The deciding factor: The evidence supports that the veteran's carpal tunnel worsened around December 6, 2001, which is earlier than the August 31, 2004 effective date assigned by the RO.
- Claimed conditions
- Right carpal tunnel syndrome, Left carpal tunnel syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- February 4, 2009
- Citation
- 0903872
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,440 · Granted: 30% (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 0903872.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for right carpal tunnel syndrome is denied as the award was granted in a separate claim filed after the initial increase rating appeal.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted an effective date of May 26, 2011 for a TDIU on an extra-schedular basis.,The Veteran is also granted an effective date of May 26, 2011 for eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35.
- Granted
The Board has granted earlier effective dates of December 7, 2020 for service connection for low back, right knee, left knee, right ankle, left ankle, right carpal tunnel syndrome, and left carpal tunnel syndrome disabilities.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for SMC based on aid and attendance is granted from January 20, 2024. His bilateral carpal instability and right upper ulnar tunnel syndrome are rated at the maximum possible under VA regulations.
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