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Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a left hand middle finger fracture is being remanded due to the unavailability of his service treatment records. The Board will attempt to obtain private treatment records from Dr. Benjamin Sung and schedule the Veteran for a VA examination to determine if any diagnosed left hand middle finger disability is related to his active military service, including an inservice carpentry shop incident.

The deciding factor: The service treatment records are unavailable, which triggers the heightened obligation to assist in developing the case. The Board will attempt to obtain private treatment records and schedule a VA examination to determine if any diagnosed left hand middle finger disability is related to his active military service.

Claimed conditions
residuals of partial amputation of the left hand middle finger
How they argued it
Direct service connection
Exposure basis
None
Rating
Not verified here — check the original decision
Decision date
December 12, 2011
Citation
1145174

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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1145174.

What this means for you

A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.

What you can do next

Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).

Related decisions

Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.

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