The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for various disabilities, including headaches, bowel problems, nerve damage to the right hand and arm, chronic pain syndrome of the left upper extremity, and special monthly compensation based on loss of use of the left upper extremity.
The deciding factor: The December 1991 surgery did not result in additional disability manifested by a headache disorder, bowel problems, or nerve damage to the right hand and arm. The veteran's non-dominant left upper extremity was non-functional prior to the surgery, with symptoms including pain, diffuse atrophy, ulnar clawing of the hand, absent strength in the arm, minimal strength and motion in the wrist and fingers, and decreased sensation.
- Claimed conditions
- PTSD, headaches, bowel problems, nerve damage to the right hand and arm, chronic pain syndrome of the left upper extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 17, 2009
- Citation
- 0905712
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,776 · Granted: 24% (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 0905712.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board of Veterans' Appeals has granted service connection for PTSD and Mood Disorders, both presumed conditions under the PACT Act.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's headaches are at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected traumatic brain injury, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development of records and will provide a supplemental statement of the case if necessary.
- Partly granted
The Board has not made a final determination on the claims of service connection for inguinal hernia, PTSD, joint pain, fibromyalgia, left knee disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, chronic fatigue syndrome, respiratory disability, sleep disorder, IBS, and headaches. The claims are remanded to obtain additional evidence and determine if these conditions are related to service.
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