The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a rib injury, including arthritis secondary to broken ribs and sternum; residuals of a left knee injury with chondromalacia; and a neck disability, including residuals of a neck injury with disc and nerve damage. As such, these claims remain denied.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the submitted evidence did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim, namely, a link between current disabilities and service.
- Claimed conditions
- residuals of a rib injury, arthritis secondary to broken ribs and sternum, residuals of a left knee injury with chondromalacia, neck disability including residuals of a neck injury with disc and nerve damage
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- June 21, 2018
- Citation
- 18113206
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 18113206.
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: Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including residuals of a rib injury, left ankle injury, lower extremity sciatica, hypertension, blurred vision, chest pain, and kidney disease, as there was no current diagnosis or evidence of related functional impairment.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeal for the issues related to residuals of a rib injury, migraines, back strains (claimed as thoracic spine condition), tinnitus, increased rating for Meniere's Disease, and increased rating for depression.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's residuals of a rib injury and compression fractures L1-L2 are secondary to his service-connected left knee disability. The evidence supports the Veteran's reports of falls caused by his left knee, leading to injuries in both his right ribs and back.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, residuals of a rib injury, and hepatitis C. The decision found that current evidence did not meet the criteria for disability due to hearing loss in the right ear, left ear hearing loss was not chronic in service or within one year post-service separation, and there was no nexus between any diagnosed conditions and service.
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