The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for right thumb injury, finding that there is no evidence to support a nexus between his current numbness and an in-service injury.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that the Veteran did not provide sufficient medical or lay evidence to establish a link between his in-service thumb sprain and his current complaints of numbness.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Thumb Injury, Thumb Numbness
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 1, 2023
- Citation
- 23012626
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 23012626.
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: Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected right thumb injury, finding that the most probative evidence shows symptoms of limited motion with a gap between the thumb and fingers of one to two inches (2.5 to 5.1 cm).
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's service-connected conditions require the regular aid and attendance of another person, leading to a grant of special monthly compensation based on need for aid and attendance.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's petition to reopen the claim for service connection for a right thumb injury is granted. The claims of service connection for back injuries are remanded due to outstanding VA treatment records and need for further examination.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for residuals of a right thumb injury, but the case is remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding service connection for sleep apnea and to assess the severity of the right thumb disability. The issues of TDIU are also being addressed.
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