The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for left thumb osteoarthritis and a left elbow disorder, finding that there is no evidence to support these conditions being directly related to his military service or secondary to his service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners concluded that the current left thumb and left elbow disorders are not due to service or caused by or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- left thumb osteoarthritis, left elbow disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 1, 2019
- Citation
- 19175743
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 dismissed the claims for service connection for right and left lower extremity, lumbar radiculopathy as they were already granted. The claims for service connection for a right hip disorder, left hip disorder, right elbow disorder, left elbow disorder, and cervical spine disorder are remanded for further development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a left elbow disorder to obtain an addendum opinion addressing the etiology of the Veteran's condition, including whether it is related to service or secondary to service-connected disabilities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the case for further development and readjudication of the veteran's claims.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disorders, including a lumbar spine disorder, left elbow disorder, and others, to correct duty to assist errors.
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