The Board has denied service connection for claimed disabilities of the thumbs, index fingers, and right ring finger due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service. The claim for a right knee disability is remanded.
The deciding factor: There is no competent medical evidence showing that any of the claimed disabilities began during or are otherwise related to military service.
- Claimed conditions
- Left Thumb, Right Thumb, Left Index Finger, Right Index Finger, Right Ring Finger, Right Knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 19, 2019
- Citation
- 19148026
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted clothing allowances for a back brace and wheelchair, but denied them for a neck brace, bilateral knee braces, pain medication therapy, cane, and walker.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's service-connected TBI, bilateral knees, left metatarsal avulsion residuals, left wrist condition, and migraines are being remanded for further evaluation due to the potential worsening of these conditions.,The Veteran's rib/sternum condition, left ankle condition, bilateral shoulder conditions, insomnia, and kidney condition (claimed as rhabdomyolysis) are also being remanded for further evaluation.
- Granted
The Veteran's right knee status post ACL reconstruction was restored to a 20 percent rating effective March 1, 2015. The appeal for an increased rating for his right knee degenerative joint disease is denied. Service connection for a sleep disorder and major depressive disorder are remanded.
- Granted
The Veteran's left knee disability is granted a separate 20 percent rating for dislocated semilunar cartilage with frequent episodes of locking, pain, and effusion.
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