The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left-hand condition and sleep apnea, finding insufficient evidence to support these claims.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found no link between the Veteran’s current left-hand pain and his military service or any exposure during his service in the Persian Gulf. The examiner also noted that there is no medical evidence to relate the Veteran's left-hand pain to military service.
- Claimed conditions
- left-hand condition, chronic left-hand strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 14, 2020
- Citation
- 20066375
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.
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed due to the death of the appellant.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral shin splints, shoulder, wrist, hand, and foot disabilities, as the evidence did not support a current disability or a link to service.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for a left-hand condition and a right-hand condition, but denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for sinusitis. The claims for increased ratings for the left ankle and right ankle conditions were remanded.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left-hand condition, and increased ratings for lumbar myofascitis and status post fracture 5th metatarsal left foot.
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.