The veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found no evidence of arthritis in the left hand, and the VA examinations did not support a current disability.
The deciding factor: There was no X-ray evidence of arthritis in the left hand during or after service, and the VA examinations did not show any current disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Arthritis of the left hand, Left third finger injury, Left little finger fracture, Right knee chondromalacia, Left knee chondromalacia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 8, 2001
- Citation
- 0126162
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 0126162.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for further development and readjudication due to non-compliance with previous remand instructions.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a rating of 20 percent for left knee chondromalacia but denied service connection for body arthritis and left lower extremity neuropathy. The claims for service connection for left hip/knee disability and right hip disability were remanded.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, heart disease including myocarditis and pericarditis, hypertension, and pancreatitis as secondary to alcoholism due to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD. Service connection was also granted for left ear hearing loss and arthritis of the left hand on a direct basis.
- Denied
The Board denied disability ratings in excess of the current 20 percent for degenerative disc disease and intervertebral disc syndrome of the lumbar spine post laminectomy, 20 percent for residuals of a fractured right clavicle, 10 percent for right knee chondromalacia, and 10 percent for residuals of a right wrist fracture.
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