The Board granted a reinstatement of the 40 percent disability rating for the Veteran's low back disability, effective November 1, 2022. The Board also granted an increased evaluation to 20 percent for left hand radial digital nerve impairment based on moderate incomplete paralysis.
The deciding factor: The evidence showed that the Veteran had a painful scar and moderate incomplete paralysis of the musculospiral (radial) nerve in his left hand, which warranted an increase in rating.
- Claimed conditions
- low back disability, lumbar spine degenerative joint disease with SI joint strain and degenerative arthritis, left hand index finger disability, status post hand laceration with tenosynovitis, left hand long finger disability, status post hand laceration with tenosynovitis, left hand ring finger disability, status post hand laceration with tenosynovitis, left hand little finger disability, status post hand laceration with tenosynovitis, painful left hand post laceration scar
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- May 23, 2025
- Citation
- A25046434
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,913 · Granted: 30% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 A25046434.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found that remand is needed for the Veteran's claims due to duty to assist errors, including clarification of periods of service and obtaining relevant records. The Veteran will be afforded new medical examinations for each claimed disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the claims of right shoulder disability and low back disability due to insufficient evidence.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection of a low back disability was granted with an effective date of January 9, 2018. The Board accepted her November 21, 2019 VA Form 20-0996 as a valid opt-in of the April 2019 SOC into the modernized review system.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal concerning diabetes and a low back disability has been dismissed due to their death during the pendency of the appeal.
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