The Board denied the veteran's claim for a compensable rating for service-connected residuals of shrapnel wound of the right hand to include scar of the dorsum and deformity of the third metacarpal, finding that the disability did not more closely approximate the criteria associated with a compensable rating under Diagnostic Codes 5216 through 5227.
The deciding factor: The VA examination revealed minimal loss of strength in the veteran's grip and fingers, some weakness of the long finger and adjacent fingers, but no limitation of motion equivalent to ankylosis or restrict motion of any finger to within 2 inches of the transverse fold of the palm.
- Claimed conditions
- residuals of shrapnel wound of the right hand, scar of the dorsum
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 7, 2003
- Citation
- 0308652
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,613 · Granted: 30% (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 0308652.
What this means for you
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further examination and development of his service-connected residuals of a shrapnel wound of the right hand, as he has asserted worsening symptoms that have not been evaluated.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's death.
- 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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
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