The Board has determined that the veteran's right thumb disorder is not related to his military service and denied his claim. The Board also found that the veteran's service-connected right little finger disability warrants a 10 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 5003.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner stated that the veteran's right thumb disorder was not related to his military service, including the right hand injury he suffered in 1960. The Board also found that the residual manifestations associated with the veteran's right little finger disability are consistent with the criteria for a 10 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 5003.
- Claimed conditions
- Right thumb disorder, Degenerative arthritis of the right thumb interphalangeal joint
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- January 13, 2005
- Citation
- 0500987
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,467 · Granted: 18% (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 0500987.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the cases of service connection for left and right knee disorders due to procedural errors. The Veteran's claims are not yet decided.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for major depressive disorder and anxiety, but dismissed the claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent for a right thumb disorder, a compensable rating for a right thumb scar, a rating in excess of 10 percent for a right thumb scar, and a left great toe disorder as moot. The claims for service connection for a left hip disorder, a right shoulder disorder, and PTSD were remanded.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for various right hand and finger disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support higher ratings.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right thumb disorder and gout, bilateral feet due to insufficient evidence in the record.
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