The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected left ring finger and left elbow/wrist disabilities are remanded due to duty-to-assist errors. The cases will be returned for further examination and rating determinations.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations were inadequate, particularly in terms of assessing the current severity and manifestations of the Veteran's disabilities, especially considering post-operative procedures and flare-ups.
- Claimed conditions
- left ring finger disability, left elbow/wrist disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- August 20, 2019
- Citation
- A19000979
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,836 · Granted: 31% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 A19000979.
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.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for chronic dry eye, chronic fatigue syndrome, constipation, IBS, left little finger disability, left index finger disability, left thumb disability, left ring finger disability, left long finger disability, right ring finger disability, right index finger disability, right long finger disability, and right thumb disability due to an error in the initial decision. The Veteran was not provided with notice of her right to a hearing on these issues.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for his left ring finger disability, as the evidence did not support a higher evaluation under the applicable diagnostic codes.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for higher ratings and TDIU due to incomplete VA examinations.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren's syndrome, and disabilities affecting each finger as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during active service or are otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease, including exposure to toxic exposure risk activities (TERAs).
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