The Veteran's right hand fifth metacarpal fracture disability is currently rated as noncompensable. The Board finds that a compensable rating is not warranted.,The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities are remanded for additional examination to determine the current nature and severity of his service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence does not support a higher rating for the Veteran's right hand fifth metacarpal fracture disability. The VA examiner found no ankylosis, limitation of range of motion or functional impairment.
- Claimed conditions
- Right hand fifth metacarpal fracture, Left and right knee disabilities
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 25, 2019
- Citation
- 19131948
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,188 · Granted: 23% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 19131948.
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.
- Granted
An increased 50 percent rating for a thoracic/lumbar spine disability is granted.,Prior to June 21, 2019, the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude substantially gainful employment. Since June 21, 2019, his acquired psychiatric disability has made it impossible for him to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.,Since June 21, 2019, the Veteran is granted TDIU.
- Granted
The Veteran's right hand fifth metacarpal fracture has been granted a 10 percent rating, effective from the date of the decision.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and SMC were denied. The fifth metacarpal fracture of the right hand was found to not meet criteria for a compensable evaluation.,The fourth metacarpal strain of the right hand was also found not to meet criteria for a compensable evaluation. Additionally, entitlement to SMC based on loss of use of the right hand was denied.
- Granted
The Veteran's back disability is rated at 40 percent from October 13, 2009 to March 6, 2015. The rating for the back disability remains at 40 percent during the entire period on appeal.
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