The Board found that the unauthorized medical expenses incurred on January 2, 2005 were not rendered in a medical emergency and thus denied the Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show an emergent situation requiring immediate care at SLH on January 2, 2005.
- Claimed conditions
- Diabetic foot ulcer, Spider bite
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 11, 2009
- Citation
- 0917559
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 0917559.
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.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's need for treatment was a medical emergency and VA facilities were not feasibly available, thus granting reimbursement or payment of medical expenses incurred at a private hospital from January 30, 2014 to January 31, 2014.
- Denied
The Veteran's amputation was not caused by VA treatment, as the infection and subsequent need for surgery were due to his pre-existing diabetic foot condition rather than any fault on VA's part.
- Denied
The Board found no evidence that the amputations were caused by VA carelessness, negligence, or lack of proper skill. The Veteran's conditions and surgeries were not related to any VA treatment.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
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.