The Veteran's claim for increased rating for left hand scars and initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied. Service connection for left hand arthritis of the long finger and ring and little fingers was granted with a 10% rating effective February 4, 2020.
The deciding factor: The VA examination did not provide sufficient information to determine if there were any functional limitations due to pain or other factors that would warrant higher ratings for the Veteran's left hand conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- left hand injury, left hand arthritis of the long finger, left hand arthritis of the ring and little fingers
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 15, 2020
- Citation
- 20066940
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,435 · Granted: 22% (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 20066940.
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: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the character of the Appellant's discharge is a bar to VA benefits, and thus did not address his service connection claims. The case is being remanded for the AOJ to obtain missing records related to the special court-martial and complete a new determination on the character of the discharge.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for left hand injury to obtain additional evidence and a more thorough medical opinion.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for the veteran's left hand injury, left foot condition, right foot condition, left ankle strain, and right ankle strain. The evidence did not show a current diagnosis or symptoms related to these conditions.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's left hand injury is determined to be a result of his military service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.
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