The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection for various disabilities, including weakness of the left and right upper extremities, scars, tinnitus, numbness of the scalp, a neck scar, hypertension, and left ear hearing loss, are denied as they attempt to vitiate the finality of the February 2003 rating decision assigning an effective date of October 9, 2001.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not file a timely appeal within one year of the notification of the February 2003 rating decision regarding the assignment of an effective date of October 9, 2001 for the grants of service connection and combined disability rating. As such, the effective date became final.
- Claimed conditions
- weakness of the left upper extremity, weakness of the right upper extremity, scar, donor site, left posterior iliac crest, scar, donor site, right posterior iliac crest, tinnitus, numbness of the scalp, neck scar, hypertension, left ear hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- May 14, 2009
- Citation
- 0918259
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 0918259.
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: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issues of foot disability and cardiovascular disorder are remanded for additional development.
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