The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left foot disability has been reopened and granted. The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for his service-connected left ring finger DJD status post fracture and surgery is remanded.
The deciding factor: New evidence was submitted that supports the Veteran's claim of a relationship between his in-service left foot conditions and his current left foot disability, resulting in reopening of the claim. The Veteran's left ring finger DJD status post fracture and surgery requires further evaluation to determine an appropriate rating.
- Claimed conditions
- left foot disability, left ring finger degenerative joint disease (DJD) status post fracture and surgery
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 7, 2019
- Citation
- 19135408
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,820 · Granted: 26% (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 19135408.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him so helpless as to require the regular aid and attendance of another person, but his service-connected persistent depressive disorder alone rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted SMC at the housebound rate.
- Granted
The Veteran's left foot disability and anxiety disorder render him in need of regular aid and attendance due to his physical limitations and cognitive impairments, which require assistance from another person.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple disabilities, including neck, back, left foot, left knee, right knee, right foot, and right shoulder disabilities. The Board found insufficient evidence to support presumptive or secondary service connection.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for lumbar spine, cervical spine, right knee, left knee, right foot, left foot, and right ankle disabilities. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions began during or are otherwise related to his military service.
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