The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and reopening of a previously denied claim were denied. The right thumb disorder claim was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence, while the knee disability claims had their rating decisions affirmed.
The deciding factor: No new and material evidence was received to reopen the claim for service connection for laceration of the right thumb. The Veteran's right knee extension and flexion were found to be within established criteria without showing any residuals from a previously denied condition.
- Claimed conditions
- laceration of the right thumb, limitation of extension and flexion of the right knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 22, 2010
- Citation
- 1023143
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 1023143.
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 Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining his VA vocational rehabilitation file and Social Security Administration records. The issue of two separate compensable ratings for bilateral radiculopathy from the service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine has also been raised and must be addressed first.
- Denied
The veteran's right thumb laceration has not resulted in ankylosis or a gap of more than two inches between the thumb pad and fingers, even considering her complaints of pain. Therefore, the criteria for a higher rating are not met.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
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