The Veteran's right hand disability is rated as 10 percent disabling, effective January 26, 2021.,A 10 percent rating for degenerative joint disease of the left hand digits was granted prior to January 3, 2020. The claim for a higher rating from that date remains denied.,The Veteran's left hand disability is rated as 10 percent disabling effective January 26, 2021. The claim for a higher rating remains denied.,PTSD with dysthymic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder was granted a 100 percent rating effective January 8, 2020. The Veteran's prior claims for increased ratings remain denied.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not show that the symptoms of the right hand disability more nearly approximate occasional incapacitating exacerbations.,No functional loss or incapacitating exacerbations were shown in the February 2011 and January 2020 VA examinations. The 2020 examination reflects limitation of motion, but no flare-ups were reported.,The Veteran's left hand disability is rated as 10 percent disabling effective January 26, 2021. No higher rating based on the current evidence was granted.,PTSD with dysthymic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder symptoms did not more closely approximate occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas prior to January 8, 2020.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative process and fractures of the right hand, Degenerative joint disease of 2nd, 3rd, and 4th digits of the left hand, Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with dysthymic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 26, 2021
- Citation
- 21004115
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 21004115.
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