The Board denied earlier effective dates for the assignment of a separate disability rating and service connection for various right hand conditions due to lack of evidence supporting an earlier claim or increase in severity.

The deciding factor: There was no factually ascertainable increase in severity or formal/ informal claims prior to December 30, 2021, as required by the regulations governing effective dates for increased ratings and service connection.

Claimed conditions

right elbow disability, right index finger arthritis, right long finger arthritis, right wrist disability

How they argued it

Direct service connection

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

None in this decision

Decision date

October 28, 2025

Citation

A25093027

Want to see how appeals like this one tend to go? Appeals like mine