The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current disability related to his service-connected conditions, and therefore, he is not entitled to service connection for residuals of a smashed right third finger, disabilities of the ring fingers (fourth fingers) of the right hand and left hand, or residuals of a fracture of the right clavicle.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not support a finding that any current disability is related to service, including the veteran's motor vehicle accident in April 1976.
- Claimed conditions
- Residuals of a smashed right third finger, Disability of the ring finger of the right hand, Disability of the ring finger of the left hand, Residuals of a fracture of the right clavicle
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- August 7, 2002
- Citation
- 0209331
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 0209331.
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 veteran's service-connected disabilities are so severe as to prevent him from engaging in substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational experience.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for PTSD, residuals of a cold injury of the left and right feet, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, residuals of a fracture of the right clavicle, an inactive ulcer, and inactive hepatitis, prior to November 6, 1998.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board is reopening the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a fracture of the right clavicle, fibrositis of the right shoulder with degenerative joint disease, and degenerative joint disease of the left shoulder, bilateral wrists, and bilateral hands. The underlying merits of these claims will be addressed in a subsequent decision.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.