The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a cold injury, claimed as a right ear skin condition, finding no evidence of frostbite or other disability related to service.
The deciding factor: There is no medical evidence of current disability and no diagnosis of frostbite. The Veteran's symptoms are attributed to his age-related skin changes rather than inservice exposure to cold weather.
- Claimed conditions
- residuals of a cold injury, right ear skin condition
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 20, 2020
- Citation
- 20013424
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 20013424.
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 has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including for left hand burns, right hand burns, face burns, a right ear skin condition, foot conditions (bilateral pes planus and plantar fasciitis), hypertension, right foot frost bite, right hand fracture, and lumbar degenerative disc disease. The remand requires additional examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded two issues: entitlement to service connection for residuals of a cold injury and entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee degenerative arthritis. The Veteran's claims are being returned for further development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's claimed cold injury residuals and their relationship to service. The Veteran is seeking service connection for his bilateral foot disabilities, including peripheral vascular disease, atherosclerotic vascular disease, and peripheral neuropathy.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to insufficient information regarding his service connection for COPD and residuals of a cold injury. The Veteran contends that his current conditions are related to his active service, particularly his service in Southwest Asia.
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.