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 assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 20, 2019
- Citation
- A19000979
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 A19000979.
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 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for higher ratings and TDIU due to incomplete VA examinations.
- 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).
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple orthopedic disabilities related to injuries sustained while wrestling in service.
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