The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his left forearm and wrist disability is remanded due to the inadequacy of the July 2015 examination, which did not evaluate pronation and supination of the forearm. The examiner will need to provide a full description of any functional limitations associated with the left forearm.
The deciding factor: The examination conducted in July 2015 did not contain explicit findings regarding pronation and supination of the Veteran's left forearm, which was noted to be ankylosed during service.
- Claimed conditions
- posttraumatic arthritis of the left wrist, open comminuted fracture left distal radius, status post surgery with skin graft proximal volar left forearm
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 24, 2018
- Citation
- 18144188
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 18144188.
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 Veteran's claim for increased ratings on multiple service-connected disabilities, including cervical radiculopathy, degenerative joint disease of the neck and shoulder, PTSD, and arthritis of the wrist, is remanded due to need for additional examinations. Additionally, his claim for service connection for arthritis of the joints, potentially related to exposure in Southwest Asia, is also remanded.
- Granted
The Veteran's left shoulder disability is rated at 20% prior to March 26, 2019 and at 30% thereafter. The rating for right knee degenerative joint disease, left knee degenerative joint disease, and posttraumatic arthritis of the left wrist are all denied. Bilateral tinea pedis and bilateral hearing loss do not warrant compensable ratings.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for further evidentiary development, including a new VA examination to evaluate the full disability picture of the Veteran's service-connected left wrist disability and assess any impairment caused by repeated use over time.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for left wrist posttraumatic arthritis has been withdrawn, resulting in the dismissal of this issue.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.