The Veteran's unauthorized private medical expenses incurred on July 1, 2007 were not related to a service-connected disability and did not constitute an emergency requiring immediate treatment.
The deciding factor: The private treatment was for a non-service-connected condition (rib pain) that did not meet the criteria of a 'medical emergency' as defined by VA regulations.
- Claimed conditions
- status post pericarditis (claimed as acute myocardial infarction), post traumatic stress disorder, right knee degenerative joint disease, cervical spondylosis, right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 21, 2010
- Citation
- 1039388
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 1039388.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the addition of new evidence. The Veteran is also asked to complete a TDIU claim form, and his bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and face numbness need to be evaluated.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for right knee degenerative joint disease, including secondary to a service-connected left knee disability, is granted. The condition was not related to military service and no aggravation by the service-connected left knee disability could be established.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals were withdrawn, and his claims for increased ratings and service connection were dismissed. The Board found no evidence of ankylosis or other disabling conditions that would warrant higher ratings.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for various conditions and ratings have been dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing from appellate consideration in December 2025.
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