The Veteran's left ring finger and little finger disabilities are rated at 10 percent each, resulting in a combined rating of 20 percent for both fingers.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the Veteran’s left ring finger and little finger produce pain, weakness, and reduced range of motion, which is sufficient to warrant a 10% rating under DC 5003.
- Claimed conditions
- left ring finger disability, left little finger disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- March 26, 2019
- Citation
- 19121731
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,287 · Granted: 23% (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 19121731.
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 Board has remanded the claims for chronic dry eye, chronic fatigue syndrome, constipation, IBS, left little finger disability, left index finger disability, left thumb disability, left ring finger disability, left long finger disability, right ring finger disability, right index finger disability, right long finger disability, and right thumb disability due to an error in the initial decision. The Veteran was not provided with notice of her right to a hearing on these issues.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The Veteran's claims will be reconsidered with an addendum opinion from an appropriate clinician.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for his left ring finger disability, as the evidence did not support a higher evaluation under the applicable diagnostic codes.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for higher ratings and TDIU due to incomplete VA examinations.
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.