The Veteran's left wrist disability was evaluated during an August 2015 VA examination. The examiner noted the Veteran’s report of having flare-ups that occurred once or twice a month and involved limited range of motion. The Board found another examination should be obtained on remand due to unclear opinion regarding functional loss during flare-ups.
The deciding factor: The Board found the previous medical examination's inability to provide an opinion without resorting to speculation reflects the limitation of knowledge in the medical community at large, not a limitation of the individual examiner.
- Claimed conditions
- Left wrist surgery
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 24, 2018
- Citation
- 18129325
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 18129325.
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
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