The Board denied service connection for left trigger (index) finger disability and granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities prior to September 17, 2016.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not have a current left index finger disability at any time during the pendency of the claim or recent to the filing of the claim. The Board found that his service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment prior to September 17, 2016.
- Claimed conditions
- left trigger (index) finger disability, gastroesophageal reflux disease, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), degenerative disc disease, hypertension, varicose veins, gouty right foot, bursitis of the bilateral shoulders, left tennis elbow, degenerative arthritis of the left thumb, medical meniscus of the bilateral knees, plantar fasciitis of bilateral feet, left carpal tunnel syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- February 20, 2020
- Citation
- 20013061
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 20013061.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder and PTSD. The Veteran will be asked to provide additional medical records and undergo a VA examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his alleged stressors.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD.
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