The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for loss of use of the right hand, claimed as secondary to service-connected right wrist and right shoulder disabilities. The claim is granted.
The deciding factor: New and material evidence was submitted since the March 1997 rating decision that showed a link between the appellant's current symptoms and his service-connected right wrist and right shoulder disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- loss of use of the right hand
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 10, 2002
- Citation
- 0217848
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 0217848.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
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: Partly granted
The Board granted an effective date of March 2, 2007, for the grant of service connection for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy and November 26, 2014, for COPD, emphysema, and asthma. The claims for earlier effective dates were denied.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's disability ratings for loss of use of the left foot and right hand were reduced, but the termination of benefits related to these disabilities is upheld.,Special Monthly Compensation, specially adapted housing benefits, automobile and adaptive equipment allowance, total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability (TDIU), and Dependents' Educational Assistance eligibility were all terminated.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran is granted a clothing allowance for the right wrist brace used in 2001 due to damage caused by the brace to his clothes.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for SMC based on loss of use of his right hand, finding that he still had some limited function and would not be equally well served by an amputation with a suitable prosthetic appliance.
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