The Board has determined that the veteran's degenerative joint disease of his left wrist is not related to his military service, either on a direct basis or as secondary to his service-connected laceration injury affecting the same wrist. The appeal is denied.
The deciding factor: The VHA orthopedic expert concluded that there was no reasonable way that the veteran's left wrist arthritis from July 1945 laceration injury contributed to his current degenerative joint disease, and attributed it to age-related causes.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative joint disease of the left wrist
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 6, 2007
- Citation
- 0703809
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 0703809.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 40 percent initial disability rating for carpal tunnel syndrome left wrist, but denied an initial compensable rating for the associated left wrist scar and an initial higher rating for degenerative joint disease of the left wrist.
- Granted
The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, with the exception of PTSD, anxiety, depression, a disability manifested by chronic sleep impairment, and TDIU. The hearing loss claim is denied as it does not warrant a rating in excess of 30 percent.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, erectile dysfunction, benign prostatic hypertrophy, memory disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, lumbar spine disability (chronic low back pain), chronic cervical strain, allergic rhinitis, gastrointestinal disabilities, colon diverticulosis, and degenerative joint diseases of multiple joints. The Board found no evidence to support service connection for any of these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided that a new VA examination is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's left wrist disorder and whether it is related to his service-connected right wrist disability.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.