The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left elbow and ulnar nerve injuries were denied. The effective date of the granted rating remains unchanged at February 2, 1993.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.
- Claimed conditions
- Right and left knee arthritis, Left elbow injury, Left ulnar nerve injury
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- December 9, 2016
- Citation
- 1646326
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 1646326.
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 Veteran was granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to July 1, 2017 due to his service-connected disabilities.
- Granted
The Veteran's right and left knee braces caused wear and tear on his clothing, specifically jeans or pants. The Board found that the evidence was at least in equipoise concerning this issue and granted an annual VA clothing allowance for 2015.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for right and left elbow disabilities as there is no current evidence of these conditions.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran's residuals of a left elbow injury with resection of the left radius head and neck do not warrant a schedular rating in excess of 30 percent, as his disability does not meet the criteria for higher ratings under Diagnostic Code 5212. The Veteran's left elbow arthritis is also rated at the maximum allowable under Diagnostic Codes 5003 and 5010.
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.