The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 10% rating for right fifth digit Boutonniere deformity with flexion contracture was denied by the Board.
The deciding factor: The veteran did not present evidence that her condition worsened prior to December 4, 1998, and thus no earlier effective date is warranted.
- Claimed conditions
- Boutonniere deformity, flexion contracture
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- November 29, 2004
- Citation
- 0431439
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 0431439.
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: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for increased ratings of several conditions, stating that the evidence did not show a factually ascertainable increase in disability within one year before the claim.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings on an extraschedular basis, finding that the current schedular ratings adequately described his disability level and symptomatology.
- Whole decision: Denied
The VA has determined that the veteran's current flexion contracture and pain in his right middle finger are not due to any negligence or fault on the part of the VA, and thus compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 is denied.
- 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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