The Board granted a single 50 percent rating for the residuals of a gunshot wound to the left wrist and little and ring fingers, effective October 8, 1992. The veteran's anxiety disorder was rated at 30 percent since December 1967.
The deciding factor: The severity of the conditions did not increase within one year prior to the claim for an increased rating on October 8, 1992.
- Claimed conditions
- Anxiety Disorder, Residuals of a Gunshot Wound to the Left Wrist and Little and Ring Fingers
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- February 6, 2003
- Citation
- 0302314
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 685 · Granted: 36% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 0302314.
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
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's initial ratings for anxiety disorder and TBI were denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
- Denied
The Board denied eligibility to attorney fees based on past-due benefits awarded in a March 2024 rating decision because the March 2024 rating decision was an initial decision granting service connection for anxiety disorder.
- Granted
The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted, and service connection for IBS as secondary to anxiety disorder is granted. Service connection for non-Hodgkin lymphoma is denied due to lack of presumptive basis. Service connection for CHF with bradycardia and pacemaker as secondary to hypertension is granted.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected major depression and anxiety disorder are considered part of his service-connected peripheral neuropathy, which already qualifies him for SMC(l). Therefore, he is not eligible for a higher rate of SMC.
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