The Board has determined that the Veteran's right hand and thumb disability was not incurred in or aggravated by service, as there is no evidence of arthritis during service or within one year following separation. The claim for service connection is denied.
The deciding factor: There is no medical evidence linking the current right hand and thumb disabilities to service, including a lack of chronicity during service and no showing of arthritis within one year post-service.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Hand Arthritis, Right Thumb Arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 5, 2015
- Citation
- 1505504
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1505504.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: 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.
- Whole decision: 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.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's PTSD, right knee arthritis, left knee arthritis, right hand arthritis, and left hand arthritis are all granted as service-connected.
- Whole decision: 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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