The Board denied service connection for right and left wrist disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the conditions and active service.
The deciding factor: The preponderance of the evidence showed no in-service injury or disease related to the current diagnoses of bilateral wrist degenerative arthritis, and there was no continuity of symptoms from service.
- Claimed conditions
- right wrist degenerative arthritis, left wrist degenerative arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 17, 2020
- Citation
- 20073741
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for right wrist degenerative arthritis, left wrist degenerative arthritis, right elbow degenerative arthritis, left elbow degenerative arthritis, right knee osteoarthritis (diagnosed as right knee arthritic changes), and left knee osteoarthritis (diagnosed as left knee arthritic changes) on a direct basis.
- Partly granted
The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's left wrist degenerative arthritis, migraines, bilateral hearing loss, eye disability, and sciatica of the right lower extremity. However, it granted a 40 percent rating for back disability, service connection for erectile dysfunction secondary to the back disability, and special monthly compensation based on loss of use of a creative organ.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for all the conditions listed as there was no evidence to support a finding that any of these conditions were related to the Veteran's active military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remanded the veteran's claims for service connection of left and right shoulder degenerative arthritis, left wrist degenerative arthritis, and left hip degenerative arthritis. The Board found that additional evidence is needed to make a decision.
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