The Veteran's right arm disability is not service-connected, and his left shoulder, upper arm, and ulnar neuropathy disabilities do not support a higher rating or TDIU.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not establish that the Veteran's right arm disability is related to service. The VA examiner found no causal relationship between the left upper extremity disabilities and the right arm disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Right ulnar neuropathy (right arm disability), Left shoulder bicipital tendonitis and arthritis, Left upper arm with scar and muscle atrophy, Left ulnar neuropathy
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 27, 2014
- Citation
- 1413025
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 1413025.
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 Board remanded the appeal for further development, including obtaining an adequate medical opinion on the nature and etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder and ulnar neuropathy.
- Granted
The Board granted earlier effective dates for the increased ratings of PTSD, DJD lumbar spine, and left ulnar neuropathy back to March 1, 2018.
- Denied
The Board has determined that there is no separate disability characterized as incomplete paralysis of the radial nerve, and thus denies a separate rating for this condition. A separate 10 percent rating is granted for incomplete paralysis of the ulnar nerve.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for TDIU and special monthly compensation based on statutory housebound criteria. The Veteran was granted a combined rating of 80 percent for his service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease rated at 100 percent, which alone qualifies him for TDIU.
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