The Board has remanded the case for an examination to determine if the Veteran's current left thumb disorder is related to his military service. The claim will be readjudicated after any additional development.
The deciding factor: The Court found that the November 2007 VA examiner did not adequately account for the Veteran's current disability and symptoms, specifically the presence of a left thumb deformity, decreased hand strength and dexterity, and frequent severe flare-ups during cold weather. The Board will remand this portion to afford the Veteran an adequate VA examination.
- Claimed conditions
- left thumb fracture
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 4, 2017
- Citation
- 1714816
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 1714816.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating greater than 10 percent for his left thumb disability and a compensable rating for the associated scar was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings under applicable diagnostic codes.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA examination and lack of information regarding flare-ups. The Veteran's left thumb disability, including her scar, needs further evaluation.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for an initial rating greater than 10 percent for his left thumb fracture is being remanded due to the inadequacy of the January 2016 VA examination report and the need for updated treatment records.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeals for various conditions, including left thumb fracture, lumbar and cervical spine conditions, right shoulder and knee conditions, ankle and foot conditions, and GERD are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.
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