The veteran's service-connected right hand fractures and left posterior chest stab wound scar are each rated as noncompensable, but the Board has granted a 10% evaluation for the postoperative residuals of fracture of the 4th and 5th metacarpals of the right hand due to chronic pain and stiffness. The veteran's left posterior chest scar is not compensably disabling.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations confirmed that the veteran has no identifiable internal disability from his service-connected injuries, but does have residual symptoms such as chronic pain and stiffness in the right hand which are analogous to mild incomplete paralysis of the ulnar nerve.
- Claimed conditions
- Postoperative residuals of fracture of the 4th and 5th metacarpals (fingers) of the right hand, Residuals of a stab wound of the left posterior chest
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- December 1, 2006
- Citation
- 0637223
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,514 · Granted: 19% (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 0637223.
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
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