The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral hand disability, including Raynaud's disease. The case is remanded to determine if systemic lupus erythematosus had its origin in service and whether it caused or aggravated her bilateral hand disability.
The deciding factor: New evidence received since the last final denial raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim for service connection for systemic lupus erythematosus, which may be related to the Veteran's active duty service.
- Claimed conditions
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Bilateral Hand Disability (including Raynaud's disease)
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 7, 2019
- Citation
- 19109679
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,170 · Granted: 38% (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 19109679.
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: Granted
The Veteran's Systemic Lupus Erythematosus was pre-existing and worsened during service, thus meeting the criteria for service connection.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's disability rating for systemic lupus erythematosus was reduced from 100% to noncompensable effective February 1, 2021. The Board found that the reduction was proper and denied restoration of the 100% rating.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied an increased rating for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and has found the Veteran's right hand arthritis claim to be remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The decision on the right hand arthritis claim will need to be reconsidered after obtaining necessary medical opinions.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus due to a lack of a VA opinion regarding whether the Veteran's lupus is related to his active service or his service-connected lumbar spine disability.
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