Amputation of the thumb, index, and ring fingers.
Medical records documenting the anatomical loss of the thumb, index finger, and ring finger are the foundation of a claim under this code. Operative reports, pathology records, or treatment notes that confirm which fingers were lost and on which hand — dominant or nondominant — directly address the criteria that separate the 60 percent rating from the 50 percent rating.
A VA or private examination that identifies the affected hand as your dominant or nondominant hand is therefore important. If your claim involves ankylosis or limited motion rather than outright amputation, examination findings should document which joints are ankylosed, the degree of flexion possible, and whether a gap of more than two inches exists between the fingertip and the proximal transverse crease of the palm. Statements from you or people who know you describing how the loss of these three fingers affects tasks at work and in daily life can help show the full picture of your functional impairment.
Conditions that are often caused or made worse by this one. If you have any of these, they may be claimable as secondary service connection.
