The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for degenerative changes of both hands, as the medical evidence did not show more than slight impairment of the muscles involved in the extension of the wrist, fingers, and thumb, as well as the abduction of the thumb.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not demonstrate a worsening or increase in severity of the disability that would warrant a compensable rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative changes of the left hand, degenerative changes of the right hand
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 25, 2009
- Citation
- 0911132
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,035 · Granted: 30% (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 0911132.
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 decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss, degenerative changes of the right hand and wrist, and scars of the right hand due to the need for updated VA examinations.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the appeals for a compensable rating for degenerative changes of the right hand and service connection for occipital headaches (claimed as headaches occurring from neuropathy) due to the death of the appellant.
- Denied
The Veteran's bilateral hand condition is not related to his active service.,The Veteran's knee conditions are not related to his active service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination and additional development of records, including private treatment records.
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