The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right hand arthritis and left hand arthritis (trigger finger and osteoarthritis). The denial is based on a lack of current disability for right hand arthritis, while the claim for left hand arthritis is supported by medical evidence linking the condition to active duty.
The deciding factor: The Veteran does not have a diagnosed right hand arthritis. For his left hand arthritis, there is credible and competent medical evidence showing that the condition began during service and has persisted since then.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Hand Arthritis, Left Hand Arthritis (Dupuytren's Contracture)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 4, 2011
- Citation
- 1141077
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 1141077.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied an increased rating for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and has found the Veteran's right hand arthritis claim to be remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The decision on the right hand arthritis claim will need to be reconsidered after obtaining necessary medical opinions.
- Partly granted
The appeal was dismissed for the claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, and service connection for migraine headaches was restored. Several claims for service connection were denied.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD, right knee arthritis, left knee arthritis, right hand arthritis, and left hand arthritis are all granted as service-connected.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), left hand arthritis, right hand arthritis, and left wrist rheumatoid arthritis are remanded due to the need for additional development regarding exposure to herbicide agents during his military service.
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