The Board found no evidence of a current disability of the left or right thumb, and denied service connection for Dupuytren's contracture of the distal ring finger/distal palm of the left hand as it was not related to service.
The deciding factor: The May 2014 VA examiner opined that the Veteran's Dupuytren's contracture of the distal ring finger/distal palm of the left hand is less likely than not due to active duty service, noting its common occurrence in older people and lack of a direct link between the injury in-service and the condition many years later.
- Claimed conditions
- Impairment of left and/or right thumb, Dupuytren's contracture of the left hand
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 18, 2015
- Citation
- 1507149
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 1507149.
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 remands the claims for service connection for Dupuytren's contracture of both hands to obtain an addendum medical opinion and updated VA treatment records.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left hand, left knee, and right knee conditions due to inadequate VA opinions and failure to comply with prior remand directives. The case is now pending for further review.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection for Dupuytren's contracture of the right and left hands, as well as plantar fasciitis fibromatosis, are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left hand, left knee, and right knee conditions due to incomplete service records and inadequate opinions.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.