post traumatic left hand arthritis rating 10% from Army

bella991

PEB Forum Regular Member
Registered Member
Hello,
I want to share my story with you all about my journey which hasn't ended yet. I received my PEB and VA rating today. I had 3 surgeries on left hand which is my non-dominant hand. Army has rated my failing condition which is Left hand post traumatic arthritis as 10% as well as VA rated 10%. I have lost most of the function with left hand including difficulty typing, lifting-carrying weights, gripping an object, fine movements of left index and left ring fingers, pain, swelling, burning sensations- all have been documented by the doctors so far.) Also VA has rated the same! I am surprised and not happy with the ratings according the functional loss/ loss of use of left hand after having 3 surgeries. Also they haven't rated the surgical scars that are painful which restricts me doing my job as 68W (donning and doffing exam gloves, sensitive to any kind of touch or pressure). I visited the lawyers office here at Fort Lewis, WA today and scheduled an appointment with the lawyer after 10 days. Extension request has been sent to my PEBLO.
I was expecting at least 40%ratings from the army. Also DA199 mentions that I can lift and carry atleast 40 lb weight which is completely incorrect. I will discuss these issues with my lawyers when I will meet him but I want some advice if there is any chance my ratings can jump from 10% to 30-40% if I appeal or go to the formal board??? Your comments and advice is very much appreciated. Thank you.
 
Request a VARR from the VA. The rating came from the VA. You have much to gain and little to lose.
 
Thank you for your advice. I will certainly proceed for VARR. Do I have to go for another c&p appointment again for that? Or they just look for evidences again?
 
I went through the reasons they have mentioned attached after the ratings page. Looks like they have rated only rated the left index finger for 10% saying that only one joint has loss of ROM. My distal IP joint is also affected after the injuries and surgeries on index finger which may get me 20%
As I have mentioned in my earlier post, I had a benign tumor in the left ring finger (accidently found when x-Ray taken for injured index finger). Later I fractured the left finger too because the bone was very brittle because of presence of tumor. The tumor was surgically removed after 4 months in July 2015. Since that surgery, the left ring finger ROM is restricted at MCP join and PIP joints. Also I have post surgical swelling pain and scar pain that hinders me in daily activity over all doing anything with the left hand. So the VA has rated 0% for the left ringer pain, restriction of ROM.
Moreover, VA has rated scar pain as 10% which should be considered as failing condition and included by PEB.
 
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