The Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis is granted a 60% rating from April 30, 2010. The ratings for chronic hand strain with painful motion of the thumb, ring, and little fingers (left and right hands) are denied. The ratings for painful motion of the index and long fingers (left and right hands) remain at 10%. The Veteran's right hand scar is also rated as noncompensable.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s rheumatoid arthritis was found to be productive of severe impairment of health, warranting a 60% rating from April 30, 2010. Ratings for the chronic hand strain and painful motion of the index and long fingers were denied as they did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under applicable diagnostic codes.
- Claimed conditions
- rheumatoid arthritis, chronic left hand strain with painful motion of the thumb, ring, and little fingers, chronic right hand strain with painful motion of the thumb, ring, and little fingers, painful motion of the left index finger, painful motion of the right index finger, painful motion of the left long finger, painful motion of the right long finger
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- December 22, 2020
- Citation
- 20080500
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,772 · Granted: 37% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 20080500.
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
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Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
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- Partly granted
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- Partly granted
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- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for blackouts and fainting spells, a bilateral foot condition, and rheumatoid arthritis due to lack of new and relevant evidence.
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