The veteran's Dupuytren's contracture of the right hand is not service-connected, and his claim for compensation benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 based on VA surgeries in December 1994 and July 1996 was denied. The veteran's increased rating claim for residuals of a fracture of the right fifth metacarpal is also denied.
The deciding factor: The veteran's Dupuytren's contracture preexisted his service-connected fractures, and subsequent VA surgeries did not result in an increase in severity of the condition.
- Claimed conditions
- Dupuytren's contracture of the right hand, status post fracture of the right fifth metacarpal
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 9, 2000
- Citation
- 0006444
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 0006444.
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
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