The Veteran's bilateral hand strain and arthritis of the right first metatarsal phalangeal joint of the right foot are not service-connected. The current rating for arthritis is also denied.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found no evidence linking the current conditions to service, including a history of injury in 1976 that resolved without sequelae.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hand strain, arthritis of the right first metatarsal phalangeal joint of the right foot
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- June 10, 2015
- Citation
- 1524846
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 1524846.
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: Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for right and left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, lumbosacral strain, cervical strain, bilateral knee strain and left knee osteoarthritis, bilateral hip trochanteric pain syndrome, bilateral elbow strain, bilateral foot degenerative arthritis, bilateral shoulder strain, and bilateral hand strain. OSA was denied.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal request was denied as it was not timely filed within one year of the rating decision.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to his service-connected disabilities is granted. The Board found that the Veteran's obesity acted as an intermediate step between his service-connected disabilities and his OSA.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hand strain and a bilateral elbow disability, finding that the Veteran's symptoms began during active service and have persisted since.
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