The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for the Veteran's service-connected left hand disability, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on favorable ankylosis of three fingers or other criteria.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not show favorable ankylosis of four digits or unfavorable ankylosis of three or more fingers, and the Veteran's functional impairment was not such as to approximate amputation with prosthesis.
- Claimed conditions
- Left hand disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- November 5, 2020
- Citation
- 20071677
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,797 · Granted: 20% (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 20071677.
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 Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors. The VA will obtain medical opinions regarding the relationship between the claimed conditions and service-connected bilateral hearing loss, as well as a TERA examination for frequent urination.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection for a left hand disability and anxiety are being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and medical opinions.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for various disabilities, including heart disability, right shoulder and left shoulder disabilities, right hand and left hand disabilities, right knee and left knee disabilities, and right foot and left foot disabilities due to incomplete evidence and need for further examination.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various hand, knee, shoulder, and hip disabilities due to inadequate rationale in the prior VA opinion regarding their onset or relationship to service.
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