The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a right thumb disability, finding that there was no evidence linking his current arthritis to service or any incident therein.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found no nexus between the Veteran’s current right thumb arthritis and his in-service injury due to lack of medical treatment post-service and symmetric degenerative joint disease indicating wear and tear from civil life.
- Claimed conditions
- Right thumb arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- August 17, 2018
- Citation
- 18127491
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 18127491.
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: Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right thumb disability is related to her service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board restored the 30% rating for bilateral hearing loss from January 13, 2025, and denied increased ratings for right lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy, right thumb arthritis, right index finger arthritis, and erectile dysfunction.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands all service connection claims for further development and to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including cervical and thoracolumbar spine conditions with associated radiculopathies, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathies, tinnitus, right elbow lateral epicondylitis, right Achilles tendonitis, left and right lower extremity varicose veins, right thumb arthritis, right ear hearing loss, hemangioma of the left scalp, left thigh meralgia paresthetica, right foot metatarsophalangeal arthritis, and right foot scar, are found to be sufficiently severe to render him unable to maintain any form of substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational background. As such, a TDIU is granted.
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