The Board has determined that the veteran's residuals of a fracture to the right middle finger warrant a 10 percent evaluation, but denied service connection for traumatic arthritis of the right hand.
The deciding factor: The March 1999 VA examination indicated degenerative joint disease and traumatic arthritis in the right middle finger, but subsequent X-rays were negative for arthritis. The veteran's symptoms did not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation under DC 5226 due to limited motion of less than one inch.
- Claimed conditions
- Fracture of the right middle finger, Traumatic arthritis of the right hand
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- July 24, 2001
- Citation
- 0119208
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0119208.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's traumatic arthritis of the right hand is attributable to an injury during service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran is unable to maintain substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities, particularly his low back disability. The Board finds that the criteria for TDIU have been met.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for traumatic arthritis of the right hand and right shoulder, finding no evidence that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by service, nor any evidence linking them to the veteran's service-connected shell fragment wounds.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of traumatic arthritis of the right hand or a bilateral foot condition, and there is no evidence linking these conditions to service. As such, the claims for service connection are denied.
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