The veteran's mallet finger deformity of the right index, ring, and little fingers is currently rated as 10 percent disabling. His postoperative residuals of a right knee injury are also rated at 10 percent since December 15, 1999. The appeals for service connection for cardiovascular disability, head injury, and arthritis have been denied.
The deciding factor: The veteran's mallet finger deformity is currently rated based on limitation of motion and osteoarthritis in the affected joints, while his postoperative residuals of a right knee injury are rated based on pain, tenderness, degenerative joint disease, and limited flexion. The appeals for service connection have been denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities other than those already factored into the ratings.
- Claimed conditions
- Mallet Finger Deformity of the Right Index, Ring, and Little Fingers, Osteoarthritis in Some Right Finger Joints
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- March 13, 2001
- Citation
- 0107390
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 0107390.
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
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- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for a back disability due to a duty to assist error, specifically regarding VA's failure to provide the Veteran with a VA examination prior to the rating decision.
- Granted
The Board granted a 50 percent rating for the Veteran's migraine headaches based on prostrating attacks occurring more than once a month and severe economic inadaptability.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for special monthly compensation based on loss of use of his left foot, as there was no evidence showing that the service-connected conditions resulted in functional limitation equal to that of amputation of the left foot with prosthesis.
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