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Whole decision: Granted

The Board has determined that the veteran's left hand disability originated during his active service, and therefore grants entitlement to service connection for this condition.

The deciding factor: The VA examiner provided an opinion based on the medical examination and review of the veteran's history, concluding that it was likely that the current deficit in the veteran's left hand was caused by a service-connected injury.

Claimed conditions
left hand disability
How they argued it
Direct service connection
Exposure basis
None
Rating
Not verified here — check the original decision
Decision date
December 13, 2002
Citation
0218033

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 0218033.

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.

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