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 on both hands are denied. A noncompensable rating for a right hand scar associated with chronic right hand strain remains in effect.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis was found to be productive of severe impairment of health throughout the appeal period, warranting a 60% rating from April 30, 2010. The ratings for chronic hand strain were denied as there is no evidence of ankylosis or functional impairment akin to amputation.
- 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
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
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and systemic lupus erythematosus as there was no evidence of onset during active service or etiological relationship to an in-service injury, event, or disease.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for rheumatoid arthritis, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor based on chronic symptoms shown during service and continuity of those symptoms since service.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis was dismissed due to a untimely notice of disagreement. The left knee disorder claim is remanded for further action.
- Partly granted
The Board denied an earlier effective date for the grant of a 70 percent rating for PTSD and granted an effective date of May 31, 2004, but no earlier, for the award of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU).
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