The Veteran's claims for higher evaluations and service connection have been denied. The appeal is remanded for further evaluation on the issues of service connection.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not support a finding that any of the conditions meet or approximate the criteria for a compensable rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.
- Claimed conditions
- 3rd digit, right hand crush injury with residual pain, 4th digit, right hand crush injury with residual pain, laceration, right third finger, right shoulder strain, lumbosacral strain (claimed as back/spine condition), cervical strain (claimed as neck/spine condition), patellofemoral pain syndrome left knee, sore left leg muscle, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) (claimed as stomach condition), eczema (rash problems, resolved)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 13, 2026
- Citation
- A26033826
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 A26033826.
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 has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right shoulder strain as there is no evidence of a chronic condition in service or within one year after discharge, and the medical opinion found that his current condition is not related to his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted entitlement to total disability based on individual unemployability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for a determination on whether the Veteran's right shoulder strain warrants a compensable disability rating, and if so, what that rating should be.
- Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is denied as not meeting VA criteria for a disability.,The Veteran's left ACL tear, right ankle sprain, lower back strain, and right shoulder strain are all denied as not meeting VA criteria for a disability.
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