The Veteran's medical expenses for emergency surgery on April 24, 2012, and follow-up treatment on April 30, 2012, at Memorial Health System were granted by the Board of Veterans' Appeals. The surgery was deemed necessary to prevent permanent damage or loss of the left index finger due to an accidental gunshot injury.
The deciding factor: The appellant provided credible evidence showing that VA did not respond to multiple attempts to contact them for instructions on transferring the Veteran's care, and thus reasonable attempts were made to request transfer.
- Claimed conditions
- Left index finger injury
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 2, 2018
- Citation
- 18140308
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 18140308.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
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: Denied
The Veteran's claim for an initial rating more than 10 percent for residuals of a left index finger injury was denied as there is no evidence of ankylosis or functional impairment such that no effective function remains other than what would be equally well served by an amputation or prosthesis.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the claim for an earlier effective date for a 10 percent rating for residuals of a left index finger injury.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings, reopened and service connection claims were addressed. The rating reduction of the left index finger was upheld, but a new effective date was granted for some of his service-connected conditions.
- Whole decision: 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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