The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection for a back disorder, separate ratings for agoraphobia, nervousness and depressive disorders, and higher ratings for the right arm and left shoulder scars, painful right arm scar, right wrist and hand arthrofibrosis, and left shoulder disability.
The deciding factor: The Veteran withdrew his appeals prior to the promulgation of a decision.
- Claimed conditions
- Back Disorder, Agoraphobia, Depressive Disorder, Nervousness, Right Arm and Left Shoulder Scars, Painful Right Arm Scar, Right Wrist and Hand Arthrofibrosis, Left Shoulder Disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 26, 2020
- Citation
- 20021618
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 20021618.
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A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot.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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for PTSD has been dismissed as the claim was granted and effective from February 22, 2023.
- Remanded (sent back)
The claims for service connection for right and left shoulder disabilities are remanded. The claim for sleep disorder (claimed as sleep apnea) remains denied.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an effective date before April 1, 2018 for a 20% rating for left shoulder disability was denied. The appeal also resulted in the assignment of a 20% rating from April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2018, and a TDIU granted from April 1, 2018 to September 3, 2025.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left shoulder disabilities, finding insufficient evidence to establish an in-service event or injury related to his shoulders. The Veteran's current shoulder conditions are not linked to his military service.
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