The Board has determined that the Veteran's right hand degenerative arthritis is related to his active duty service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
The deciding factor: The evidence shows a current disability (right hand degenerative arthritis), an in-service injury (fractured finger during active duty service), and at least equipoise regarding whether the current disability is etiologically related to the in-service injury.
- Claimed conditions
- Right hand degenerative arthritis, Right thumb condition
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 24, 2020
- Citation
- 20013994
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 20013994.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for right hand, left hand, right knee, and left knee degenerative arthritis due to inadequate medical opinions from a previous VA examination. The Veteran is advised that she should submit any additional evidence supporting her in-service experiences as the etiology of her claimed conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for left and right knee conditions, as well as a neck condition, to obtain additional medical evidence.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to errors in obtaining a VA examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's right thumb condition. The examiner is asked to provide an addendum opinion addressing whether the Veteran's current right thumb pain is related to his active service, including heavy lifting and exposure to cold weather, or if it is caused by or resulted from his service-connected right hand cold injuries.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 50 percent for his psychiatric disorder is dismissed. The Board also remanded the claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, left hand degenerative arthritis, and right hand degenerative arthritis.
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