The Veteran's bilateral hand and finger disabilities are being remanded for further evaluation due to the need for updated treatment records and a new VA examination.
The deciding factor: The current evidence is insufficient to determine the severity of the Veteran's hand and finger disabilities, necessitating additional evaluations and testing.
- Claimed conditions
- left hand metacarpophalangeal joint (MCP), proximal interphalangeal (PIP), and distal interphalangeal (DIP) arthralgia, right hand MCP, PIP, and DIP arthralgia, painful motion of the left little finger, painful motion of the right little finger, painful motion of the left ring finger, painful motion of the right ring finger
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 22, 2019
- Citation
- 19179730
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 claims for a compensable initial rating for painful motion of his right ring and little fingers, as these conditions are rated at their highest noncompensable level under the applicable diagnostic codes.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD due to an inadequate medical opinion.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.