Service connection is granted for rib disability (costochondritis), neck disability with pain and limitation of motion, cubital tunnel syndrome of the left upper extremity, bilateral elbow and wrist disabilities, left hip disability secondary to service-connected inguinal hernia, and bilateral ankle disabilities.,An initial 20 percent rating is granted for costochondritis, a separate 20 percent rating is granted for a left knee disability with recurrent swelling, and ratings in excess of 20 percent are denied for shoulder disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service records indicate exposure to overhead work and heavy lifting during deployment. The symptoms have been consistently reported since service.
- Claimed conditions
- rib disability (costochondritis), neck disability with pain and limitation of motion, cubital tunnel syndrome of the left upper extremity, left elbow disability (cubital tunnel syndrome), right elbow disability (cubital tunnel syndrome), left wrist disability (cubital tunnel syndrome), right wrist disability (cubital tunnel syndrome), left hip disability, left ankle disability with pain and limitation of motion, right ankle disability with pain and limitation of motion, positional obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), insufficient sleep syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- November 29, 2024
- Citation
- A24079048
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 A24079048.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
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 decided to remand the Veteran's claims for left and right hip disabilities due to inadequate VA medical opinions. The Veteran will need an adequate VA medical opinion to determine if his hip disabilities are related to service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left, right ankle disabilities, left and right hip disabilities, left and right shin splints, and left and right knee disabilities due to inadequate nexus opinions in the VA examination reports. The Veteran contends that her current disabilities are related to injuries sustained during basic training.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to reconsider the Veteran's claims for service connection for left hip, left knee, right hip, and lower back disabilities. The claim for left hip disability is remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, lumbar spine disability, right hand disability, left hip disability, TBI, and left knee disability have all been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection for any of these conditions.,Specifically, the VA examination in December 2019 determined that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were not related to his military service.
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