The Board has granted a 30 percent evaluation for the veteran's service-connected residuals of frostbite in both hands and right hand with arthritis, first metacarpophalangeal joint, effective from January 12, 1998. The left hand with arthritis, first metacarpophalangeal joint is also rated at 30 percent.
The deciding factor: The veteran demonstrated persistent moderate symptoms of swelling, tenderness, and redness in both hands prior to January 12, 1998, which warranted a 30 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 7122. After January 12, 1998, the veteran's residuals of frostbite were characterized by neurovascular complications such as Raynaud's phenomena and arthritis of the first metacarpophalangeal joint in both hands.
- Claimed conditions
- Frostbite
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- April 6, 2005
- Citation
- 0510024
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 0510024.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for earlier effective date for service connection of Raynaud's syndrome associated with frostbite is denied. The Board found that the issue was not reasonably raised at the time of the December 1986 rating decision.
- Denied
The Board denied extraschedular ratings for service-connected residuals of frostbite of the upper and lower extremities, finding that the available schedular evaluations were adequate.
- Granted
The Veteran's cold injury residuals of the right and left feet have been granted increased ratings, with a 30% rating for both feet as of May 26, 2011. The TDIU claim has also been granted from April 27, 2015.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an effective date earlier than March 7, 2010 for his ratings of 20 percent for residuals of frostbite in both feet due to lack of formal or informal claims within one year after the revised rating criteria was implemented.
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