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
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- April 7, 2003
- Citation
- 0306656
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,464 · Granted: 14% (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 0306656.
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 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.
- Whole decision: 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.
- Whole decision: 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.
- 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.
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