The VA has denied the veteran's claim for a higher rating for his left hand disability, finding that it does not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 20 percent.
The deciding factor: The veteran's disability is manifested by occasional pain and stiffness exacerbated by use and cold weather, with full range of motion except for limited extension of the fifth finger. The RO found his disability to be rated at 20% based on Diagnostic Code 5222, which rates favorable ankylosis or limitation of motion of three digits of one hand.
- Claimed conditions
- Left hand fracture, Surgical repair of middle, ring, and little fingers
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- April 7, 2003
- Citation
- 0306656
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,464 · Granted: 14% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0306656.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's left hand disability is granted service connection as it began during service. The issue of service connection for the ankle fracture remains pending and will be remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has granted service connection for a surgical scar on the left hand, but has remanded the issue of service connection for any other left hand disability.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection and assigned an initial 10 percent rating for the Veteran's left hand fracture, effective November 16, 2005.
- 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.
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