The Veteran's right hand disability is manifested by functional limitation and decreased range of motion in the right thumb, warranting a 50% rating under Diagnostic Code 5309-5220. The claim for an increased rating is granted.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's symptoms include pain, severe limitation of motion in the right index, long, ring and little fingers, decreased grip strength, and decreased flexion in his right thumb, which are not adequately addressed by a 40% rating under Diagnostic Code 5221. The combined impact of these functional impairments warrants a higher evaluation.
- Claimed conditions
- osteoarthritis, interphalangeal joints, flexion deformities, digits 2-5, right hand
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- August 11, 2017
- Citation
- 1732834
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 1732834.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain a new VA examination and consider the claim on an extraschedular basis.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including referral to the VA Director, Compensation and Pension Service or the Under Secretary for Benefits for consideration of an extraschedular evaluation.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected right hand disability. The case will also be referred to the Under Secretary for Benefits or the Director, Compensation and Pension Service, for consideration of an extraschedular evaluation.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
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