The Board has determined that the Veteran's left wrist fusion is not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected spinal fractures, C5-6, with anterior discectomy and fusion. Therefore, service connection for this condition cannot be granted.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner concluded that the left wrist fusion was not caused by, a result of, or aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected cervical spine disability.
- Claimed conditions
- left wrist fusion
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 25, 2011
- Citation
- 1131383
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 1131383.
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 Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) were denied. The left wrist, left knee, left shoulder, and right ankle disabilities have been rated as appropriate under the applicable VA regulations.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, warranting TDIU.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a new VA examination to assess the severity of his left wrist disability. The issue of entitlement to TDIU has also been added due to the impact it may have on the increased rating claim.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding a disability evaluation in excess of 20 percent for service-connected left wrist fusion and a disability evaluation in excess of 10 percent for service-connected degenerative changes of the left ilium.
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