The Veteran's burn scar and left ring finger disability are granted with specific ratings, while the right ankle tendonitis remains denied.
The deciding factor: The evidence showed that the Veteran’s burn scar met the criteria for a 40% rating under DC 7801 due to its size. The left ring finger fracture was found not to meet any compensable rating as it did not cause limitation of motion or other disabling effects beyond what is already covered by the noncompensable rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Burn scar of the lower back to right calf, Left ring finger fracture
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- February 1, 2019
- Citation
- A19000058
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,604 · Granted: 65% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 A19000058.
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 claim for a higher rating for his service-connected residuals of left long finger amputation and left ring finger fracture is remanded.,The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for the left leg below the knee amputation is also remanded.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, sleep apnea, and TDIU are remanded.,An opinion is needed to determine if the Veteran's left hand tingling, numbness, and loss of sensation were caused or aggravated by his service-connected conditions.,Another medical opinion is required to assess whether the Veteran's sleep apnea had its onset during service.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent for residuals of left ring finger fracture and for a temporary total evaluation based on surgery and need for convalescence for residuals, fracture, left ring finger. The primary reasons were that the June 2009 surgery was not treatment for the service-connected left ring finger fracture and that the Veteran's hand disability is characterized by ankylosis of the left ring finger at the PIP joint.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the cases due to unclear relationship between the Veteran's service-connected left ring finger fracture and his need for convalescence following surgery. The issues are inextricably intertwined as they both pertain to the same disability period.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his left wrist and ring finger fractures are being remanded. The issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is also being remanded due to the need for additional information regarding stressors.
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