The Veteran's claims for service connection of a left wrist disorder and a fractured little finger were denied. His increased ratings for knee disabilities were also denied.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not show that the Veteran’s current conditions were caused by his military service, or if they were aggravated by it.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative arthritis of the right knee, Degenerative arthritis of the left knee, Left wrist disorder, Fractured left little finger
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 21, 2019
- Citation
- 19120276
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,162 · Granted: 21% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 19120276.
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: Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for a left wrist disorder is dismissed. The acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenia with exacerbation and schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type, anxiety, and depression, was not shown in service and is not etiologically related to service.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the right knee is granted. The claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are denied, as well as the claim for service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to duty-to-assist errors, specifically regarding a VA medical opinion on whether the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the right knee is related to service-connected chondromalacia and proximal patellar tendinosis of the left knee. The Board also needs another VA medical opinion addressing chronic presumptions and direct service connection.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative arthritis of the left shoulder, left knee, and right knee due to inadequate VA examinations in August 2020 and January 2021.
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