The Veteran's right elbow disability is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.,For his left thumb instability and right ankle tendonitis with arthritis, new VA examinations are required to address functional impairment during flare-ups or on repetitive use.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's right elbow disability does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as there is no limitation of flexion. The issues regarding the left thumb and right ankle require additional examination to assess functional loss.
- Claimed conditions
- Right elbow lateral and medial epicondylitis, Left thumb instability due to chronic collateral ligament sprain, Right ankle tendonitis with arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 7, 2019
- Citation
- 19109547
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,861 · Granted: 27% (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 19109547.
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
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's claimed conditions, including generalized joint and muscle pain, lumbar spine disorder, right elbow lateral and medial epicondylitis, left elbow lateral and medial epicondylitis, right wrist arthritis, left wrist arthritis, and right knee arthritis, were not incurred in service. The Board found no evidence of a chronic condition during service or within one year post-service for most conditions.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected musculoligamentous strain, right knee, is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.
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