The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hand disability, residuals of left and right finger injuries, and diabetes mellitus, type II were denied. Service connection was granted for status post lacerated wound, left index finger.
The deciding factor: Service treatment records showed a laceration to the left index finger in service which healed but resulted in persistent pain. The VA examiner found that the current neuropathic pain is less likely than not caused by the laceration injury.
- Claimed conditions
- Hernia, Bilateral Hand Disability, Residuals of Left Finger Injuries, Residuals of Right Finger Injuries, Residuals of Bilateral Shoulder Injury, Diabetes Mellitus, Type II
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 29, 2010
- Citation
- 1028378
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 1028378.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied increased ratings for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and a psychiatric disability due to insufficient evidence of the severity required for higher ratings.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 100 percent disability rating for PTSD and denied an earlier effective date. The claims for service connection for various conditions were remanded.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for his diabetes mellitus, a higher rating for PTSD with alcohol use disorder, and a total disability rating due to service-connected disabilities.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for a heart disability, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, but denied service connection for multiple tooth trauma.
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