The Board has granted an earlier effective date of December 12, 2018 for the grant of a higher rating of 30 percent for the service-connected left hand disability.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claim was received within one year of the January 2020 decision denying a higher rating, and the increase in disability occurred more than one year prior to the December 2019 claim. The effective date is therefore set at December 12, 2018.
- Claimed conditions
- left hand disability (characterized as residuals, midshaft fractures, middle phalanx, 3rd and 4th fingers; chip fracture proximal interphalangeal joint, 5th finger)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- April 17, 2026
- Citation
- A26036265
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 A26036265.
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
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- Denied
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- Denied
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- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as the evidence shows a current diagnosis of PTSD, an in-service stressor, and a medical link between the two.
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