The Board granted an effective date of September 15, 2009, for the award of a 30 percent rating for right CTS and a 20 percent rating for left CTS. The claim for a higher rating for TMJ prior to April 12, 2023, was denied, as was service connection for a GI disorder.
The deciding factor: The evidence supported moderate incomplete paralysis of the median nerve for both right and left CTS, warranting the assigned ratings from the date of service connection. For TMJ, there was no evidence supporting a higher rating prior to April 12, 2023.
- Claimed conditions
- gastrointestinal (GI) disorder, left carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), right carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 11, 2025
- Citation
- A25022241
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,162 · Granted: 21% (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 A25022241.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the appeals for all claims of service connection, including those for bilateral flat feet, thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis, cervical spine degenerative arthritis, right CTS, left CTS, essential tremors, right ankle arthritis, right shoulder arthritis, and left knee arthritis. The appeal of sleep apnea was granted in a July 2024 rating decision.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and left ulnar neuritis are at least as likely as not related to repetitive hand and wrist use during service, and thus grants service connection for these conditions.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual employability (TDIU) and eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35 is granted with an effective date of April 5, 2021.,The TDIU was initially raised during the adjudication process of the underlying claim for service connection for TMJ.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeal concerning the issues of entitlement to service connection for various conditions, including TMJ, a bilateral feet disability, erectile dysfunction, GERD, hearing loss, sleep apnea, and IBS. The Board dismissed the appeal due to the withdrawal.
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.