The Board denied service connection for a bilateral hand disability, left foot disability, left toe disability, and osteoarthritis as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during active service or were otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner's opinion, based on medical history and literature, concluded that the Veteran's conditions were less likely than not caused by her service and there was no evidence of aggravation.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral hand disability, Left foot disability, Left toe disability, Osteoarthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 10, 2024
- Citation
- 24001627
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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The appeal for an increased rating for the acquired psychiatric disorder and other disabilities was denied, with no increase in the assigned ratings.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error regarding VA's obligation to obtain relevant records from the Social Security Administration.
- Partly granted
The Board granted the readjudication of claims for service connection based on new and relevant evidence, but remanded other claims for further examination.
- Granted
The Board granted an August 14, 2009 effective date for the assignment of special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(l).
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