The Board has determined that there is sufficient evidence to raise a reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran's claim, and thus service connection for his right index finger deformity is granted.
The deciding factor: The Veteran provided credible testimony about an in-service injury resulting in surgery on his right index finger. The VA examiner could not definitively connect the current condition to service without resorting to speculation.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Index Finger Deformity, Osteoarthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 18, 2010
- Citation
- 1006112
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 1006112.
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.
- Partly granted
The Veteran is granted an effective date of October 21, 2019, for a disability rating of 30 percent for left knee meniscal tear, ACL tear, and osteoarthritis status post left total knee replacement.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for osteoarthritis and a neck disability, finding that the evidence does not support a causal relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's active service.
- Granted
The Board granted the restoration of a 50 percent rating for bilateral pes planus and osteoarthritis, effective January 21, 2024.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, bilateral upper extremities pain, an acquired psychiatric disorder (depression), and squamous cell carcinoma of the anus as secondary to service-connected hepatitis C. However, psoriatic arthritis was denied.
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.