The Board denied service connection for rheumatoid arthritis of the right hand, finding that it was not related to service or a service-connected condition.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis of the right hand is less likely than not incurred in or caused by his military service or aggravated by his service-connected residuals of a fracture of the right first metacarpal.
- Claimed conditions
- rheumatoid arthritis of the right hand
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 3, 2019
- Citation
- 19176737
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis of various body parts due to in-service exposure to hazardous materials, as an addendum opinion is needed.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis of the right hand and left hand due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that additional examinations are needed to assess the severity of the Veteran's service-connected rheumatoid arthritis conditions, as the previous VA examination reports were inadequate and did not provide sufficient information regarding flare-ups and range of motion during such events.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
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