The appeal of the service connection claim for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome is dismissed. An increased rating of 20 percent is granted for left clavicle disability, with a separate zero percent rating for scar residual. The claims for thoracic outlet syndrome and TDIU are remanded.
The deciding factor: The Veteran withdrew his appeal of the service connection claim for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome prior to the Board's decision being issued.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, thoracic outlet syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- February 12, 2019
- Citation
- 19110821
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,341 · Granted: 33% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19110821.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the claims on appeal, including obtaining any outstanding treatment records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the current severity of service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's representative also requested reevaluation of his service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service injury or disease and that symptoms began many years after separation from service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, bilateral feet conditions (to include bone spurs), and obstructive sleep apnea due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, finding that there is no credible evidence of a nexus between his current condition and his active duty service.
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.