The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral thumb disability, finding that his current diagnosis of basilar thumb joint arthritis is at least as likely as not related to his military service. The issue of entitlement to a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss prior to January 29, 2010, and in excess of 30 percent thereafter was dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of the appeal.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the evidence supported the Veteran’s claim, including his lay statements and opinions from private physicians who linked his current bilateral thumb disability to service. The issue of hearing loss was withdrawn by the Veteran.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral thumb disability, basilar thumb joint arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 7, 2018
- Citation
- 18101529
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 18101529.
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.
- Denied
Service connection for dermatitis, left cubital tunnel syndrome, right hip disability, left hip disability, right shoulder disability, bilateral thumb disability, right first toe disability, lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, left varicocele, and testicle atrophy has been denied.,The Veteran's service connection claims for obstructive sleep apnea, nephrolithiasis with hematuria, right knee iliotibial band syndrome and patellofemoral pain syndrome, allergic rhinitis, right plantar fasciitis, hyperhidrosis, hemorrhoids, and generalized headaches have been remanded.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for a disability rating greater than 60 percent for his lumbosacral spine disability and for a TDIU due exclusively to this disability. The issues of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen previously denied claims of service connection for a bilateral thumb disability and fibrositis in multiple joints were also addressed, but the Veteran's requests to reopen these claims were not granted.
- Denied
The Board has dismissed the appeal regarding the bilateral thumb disability claim and denied the claims for service connection for an eye disorder, a bilateral knee injury, vertigo with cerebellar gait (secondary to tinnitus), and bilateral hearing loss.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination. The Veteran's claims for service connection for thumb and elbow disabilities are pending, as is his claim for TDIU.
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