The Board has denied an increased rating for the residuals of a fracture of the left fifth metacarpal and remanded the case for further development regarding the initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative joint disease (DJD) of the left wrist.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations did not adequately address recent case law requirements, necessitating additional examination with current medical opinions.
- Claimed conditions
- fracture of the left fifth metacarpal, degenerative joint disease (DJD) of the left wrist
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 4, 2018
- Citation
- 18107925
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 18107925.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for residuals of a fracture of the left fifth metacarpal, service connection for a left ankle disability, and service connection for a right foot disability due to additional development being needed.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus, left wrist DJD, and hepatitis C are related to service. The right shoulder, right knee, left knee, low back, and respiratory disabilities are not shown to be related to service. Bilateral hearing loss is also not shown to be related to service.
- Granted
The Veteran's initial rating of 30 percent for his psychiatric disability from August 20, 2004 through May 6, 2008 is upheld. The condition resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining private medical records and conducting VA examinations to assess the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his ability to work.
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