The Board denied service connection for loss of use of the feet and hands, finding no evidence that these conditions were causally related to an in-service motor vehicle accident or any other in-service injury.
The deciding factor: The April 2024 medical opinion concluded it was less likely than not that the Veteran's claimed condition was the result of an in-service event, supported by post-service records indicating a spinal cord injury in May 2005 as the cause of quadriplegia.
- Claimed conditions
- loss of use of feet, to include quadriplegia, loss of use of hands, to include quadriplegia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 26, 2024
- Citation
- 24033499
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for compensation benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for quadriparesis, to include loss of use of hands and loss of control of bowels, as the proximate cause of the disability was not due to carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance of fault on the part of the Department in furnishing the surgical treatment.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD due to an inadequate medical opinion.
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