The successes of Van Atta's rookie year did not carry over into subsequent seasons. His statistics and performance declined for the rest of his career. In 1934, he posted a 6.34 ERA and a 3–5 record. In December 1934, Van Atta injured his pitching hand while breaking a glass window to rescue his pet cocker spaniel during a house fire at his home in the Lake Mohawk section of Sparta Township, New Jersey. The injuries included cuts to his left hand that caused nerve damage. For the rest of his career, he would be limited to relief pitching and few spot-starts.