The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current left hand disorder, and any symptoms he may have experienced are more likely related to his hepatitis C infection than to service. As such, the claim for service connection for a left hand disorder is denied.
The deciding factor: The December 2008 VA examiner opined that the Veteran's left hand condition (no evidence of arthritis) is not likely related to his treatment received in service for gout and more likely related to his hepatitis C infection, based on medical records and examination findings.
- Claimed conditions
- depression, status-post osteomyelitis of the pubic bone with degenerative joint disease and impaired gait stance, left hand disorder (claimed as arthritis)
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 5, 2013
- Citation
- 1335744
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 1335744.
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 remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining in-service psychiatric treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any acquired psychiatric disorder.
- Denied
The Veteran's depression was rated at 50 percent prior to July 1, 2016. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating due to occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity. For TDIU, the Veteran had multiple service-connected disabilities but his education and work experience were sufficient for sedentary or light labor employment.
- Granted
The Veteran's depression was rated at 50 percent prior to September 27, 2017. From September 27, 2017, the rating for depression increased to 70 percent.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals were dismissed due to the death of the appellant. The issues related to service connection for various conditions and disability ratings.
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