The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating for his bilateral hand disability, left shoulder impingement syndrome with rotator cuff tear with mild bursitis, left knee status post arthroscopic repair lateral meniscus tear, and degenerative disc/joint disease of the lumbar spine due to outstanding treatment records and inadequate examination reports.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there may be relevant outstanding treatment records for the Veteran's bilateral hand disability and that the examinations provided did not adequately address the functional loss due to pain in his left shoulder and knee disabilities. The Board also noted that the examinations did not provide information on whether the Veteran had a current diagnosis of secondary gout affecting his bilateral hands.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hand disability, left shoulder impingement syndrome with rotator cuff tear with mild bursitis, left knee status post arthroscopic repair lateral meniscus tear, degenerative disc/joint disease of the lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 19, 2019
- Citation
- 19187042
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board of Veterans' Appeals remands the claims for service connection for a bilateral hand disability, left hip disability, left wrist disability, pseudo-folliculitis barbae with scarring, and sinusitis due to a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error and an inadequate VA examination.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including fatigue, bilateral eye disability, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, GERD, penile condition, left foot disability, and others. Some claims were remanded for further development.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral shoulder, left wrist, bilateral hip, and left ankle disabilities as there is no current disability. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disability was remanded for further development.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's service-connected bipolar disorder is granted a higher initial rating of 100 percent, while other claims for service connection were denied.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.