The Veteran's claims for service connection for frostbite of the bilateral feet and cold injury residuals of the bilateral hands have been granted. The evidence received since the final July 2011 rating decision related to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate these claims, raising a reasonable possibility of substantiating them.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's current disabilities of the bilateral feet and hands are residual to his in-service exposure to cold injury, which is supported by medical opinions linking his symptoms to service.
- Claimed conditions
- frostbite bilateral feet, cold injury residuals of the bilateral hands
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 7, 2019
- Citation
- 19184087
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,604 · Granted: 65% (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 19184087.
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 Board denied service connection for cold injury residuals of the bilateral hands and a peripheral nerve disability of the right upper extremity, finding that there is no evidence to support these claims.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for cold injury residuals of the bilateral hands, a lumbar spine disability, and a right knee disability due to insufficient evidence linking these conditions to his active service.
- Granted
The Veteran's claims of service connection for frostbite bilateral feet, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have been granted. The claim for frostbite bilateral feet is remanded due to the need for a VA examination.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea, cold injury residuals of the bilateral hands, cold injury residuals of the left and right lower extremities, and hypertension as there was no evidence linking these conditions to service.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.