The Board has granted service connection for residuals of frostbite, diagnosed as left hand arthritis, finding that the evidence is in approximate balance and that there is a nexus between the Veteran's in-service frostbite injury and his current left hand arthritis.
The deciding factor: The Board found the evidence to be in approximate balance regarding whether the Veteran's left hand arthritis was related to his in-service frostbite injury, with negative opinions from VA examiners being countered by an opinion indicating that frostbite arthropathy is a rare cause of arthritis and generally involves interphalangeal joints.
- Claimed conditions
- residuals of frostbite, arthritis of the left hand
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 18, 2023
- Citation
- 23045980
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 23045980.
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.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection and increased rating claims due to a concurrent election under the Appeals Modernization Act (AMA). The issues were docketed in error as the AOJ was still reviewing them.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including arthritis of the entire skeletal system (other than cervical spine, right shoulder, bilateral hands, and left foot), a left knee condition (other than arthritis), and other specific joints. The claims were not granted.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a dental disability, claimed as loss of teeth, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and remanded the issues of service connection for a right knee disability and residuals of frostbite.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for a right hand disability, to include residuals of frostbite and tenosynovitis, is dismissed due to the appellant's death.
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