The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the claims of service connection for arthritis in the right hand and right carpal tunnel syndrome, as well as increased ratings for the Veteran's right shoulder and left shoulder disabilities. The Veteran will be scheduled for VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the current diagnoses and symptoms do not warrant a direct service connection due to lack of evidence linking the conditions to service, but additional development is needed to clarify the relationship between the Veteran's disabilities and his service-connected left shoulder disability.
- Claimed conditions
- arthritis in the right hand, right carpal tunnel syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 9, 2020
- Citation
- 20002128
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 appeal for service connection for migraine headaches, right carpal tunnel syndrome, and left carpal tunnel syndrome was dismissed due to the Veteran's death during the pendency of the appeal.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection and increased ratings due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for left and right carpal tunnel syndrome as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to the Veteran's active service, including his exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed all appeals related to service connection for various conditions and an effective date prior to March 13, 2024, for the award of service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
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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.