The Veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection of bilateral hand scarring was denied. His request to reopen the left hand disability claim was granted, and he is now in receipt of a 10% rating for residuals of old fracture, right hand (3rd and 4th fingers). The Veteran also received a grant of TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The preponderance of the evidence did not support a finding that the left hand disability was incurred in service or related to any other service-connected condition.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hand Scarring, Left Hand Disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- January 10, 2019
- Citation
- 19102510
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,549 · Granted: 29% (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 19102510.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the current evidence is insufficient to establish service connection for the Veteran's claimed disabilities, and thus remands the claims for further development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD has been denied due to the absence of a diagnosed condition.,Service connection is being remanded for bilateral foot, lumbar spine, knee, ankle, and elbow disabilities.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for PTSD and erectile dysfunction, but denied service connection for headaches, left hand disability, left knee disability, left shoulder disability, right foot disability, right arm/shoulder disability, diabetes, and individual unemployability. The claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder was granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for right knee, right foot/ankle, left hand, and right hand disabilities to correct a duty to assist error by obtaining new VA examinations and opinions.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.