The Board denied service connection for a left index finger disability because the injury occurred during state active duty, not federalized National Guard service.
The deciding factor: The injury was incurred during state active duty under Florida law and not in federalized National Guard service as required by VA regulations.
- Claimed conditions
- left index finger disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 31, 2019
- Citation
- 19197100
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,738 · Granted: 17% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 19197100.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal of a 10% rating for left index finger disability since July 12, 2016 is dismissed because the initial decision was not an 'initial decision' under the AMA and proper procedures were not followed.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for chronic dry eye, chronic fatigue syndrome, constipation, IBS, left little finger disability, left index finger disability, left thumb disability, left ring finger disability, left long finger disability, right ring finger disability, right index finger disability, right long finger disability, and right thumb disability due to an error in the initial decision. The Veteran was not provided with notice of her right to a hearing on these issues.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeals for service connection on multiple conditions have been withdrawn. The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for a back disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left eye and left index finger disabilities due to incomplete development of records, including VA and private treatment records. The Veteran's left eye disability may be related to his active service exposure through all applicable military deployments, as well as his obesity which could have contributed to its onset or progression.
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