The Veteran's bilateral hand numbness and tingling, including his carpal tunnel syndrome, are remanded for further examination. The issue of an increased rating for peripheral nerve damage and numbness in the left lower extremity is also remanded due to a lack of clarity regarding whether it is separate from service-connected radiculopathy. The lumbar spine condition remains remanded.
The deciding factor: The claims are remanded because there is insufficient evidence on record to make informed decisions about the Veteran's bilateral hand numbness and tingling, as well as his left lower extremity conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hand numbness and tingling, carpal tunnel syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 11, 2019
- Citation
- 19178182
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 19178182.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection of carpal tunnel syndrome in the left upper extremity, and the Board has dismissed this case.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to inadequate VA examinations and a pre-decisional duty to assist error. Additional development is needed for service connection of carpal tunnel syndrome, increased ratings for lower extremity radiculopathies, and obtaining a VA TERA opinion.
- Granted
The Veteran's carpal tunnel syndrome and ulnar nerve post traumatic mononeuropathy of the right upper extremity is rated at 40 percent effective July 23, 2019.
- Granted
The Veteran's carpal tunnel syndrome was diagnosed during service and has continued to the present. The Board granted service connection for this condition, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise that it began in service.
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