The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for degenerative joint disease of the right wrist, residuals of a fracture of the fourth and fifth metacarpal joints, postoperative arthrodesis, and duodenal ulcer disease are denied as there is no evidence showing that these conditions warrant ratings in excess of 10 percent.
The deciding factor: The veteran's degenerative joint disease of the right wrist, residuals of a fracture of the fourth and fifth metacarpal joints, postoperative arthrodesis, and duodenal ulcer disease do not meet the criteria for higher evaluations as they are currently manifested by normal range of motion and no significant functional impairment.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease of the Right Wrist, Duodenal Ulcer Disease, Residuals of a Fracture of the Fourth and Fifth Metacarpal Joints, Postoperative Arthrodesis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- November 20, 2006
- Citation
- 0635977
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,377 · Granted: 17% (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 0635977.
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 service-connected conditions, including diabetes, stroke, and vision problems, have prevented him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment from July 1, 2019, to February 16, 2022.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation consistent with his education, training, and work history.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's right wrist disability is rated at 30 percent since November 18, 2020. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating as there is no ankylosis of the dominant wrist in any other position except favorable.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease of the right wrist is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has determined that this rating is appropriate based on the current functional impairment.
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