The Board denied service connection for right thumb amputation, finding that the amputation is not causally or etiologically related to any disease, injury, or incident during service and was not caused or aggravated by a service-connected disability.
The deciding factor: The VA physician's opinions found no evidence of chronicity since service discharge and lack of objective evidence to establish a pattern of aggravation. The Veteran’s lay testimony regarding the etiology of his right thumb amputation is not competent as it requires special experience or knowledge.
- Claimed conditions
- Right thumb amputation
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 19, 2019
- Citation
- 19164221
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 19164221.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted a compensable rating of 20 percent for the Veteran's right thumb disability, which is rated as an amputation at the distal phalanx.
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- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD due to an inadequate medical opinion.
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