The Board has determined that the VA examiner's opinions regarding the Veteran's ulnar nerve deformity (Griffin Claw) of left upper extremity, RSDS of the left arm/hand, and loss of function of the left hand are inadequate. The claims for compensation under the provisions of 38 U.S.C. § 1151 must be remanded to obtain additional medical opinions.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the VA examiner's opinions were insufficient due to lack of a clear explanation and specific addressing of whether a reasonable person would have proceeded with the surgery, as well as the medical consequences of proceeding versus not proceeding with the surgery.
- Claimed conditions
- ulnar nerve deformity (Griffin Claw) of left upper extremity, reflex-sympathetic dystrophy syndrome (RSDS) of the left arm/hand, loss of function of the left hand
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- January 15, 2020
- Citation
- 20003417
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 3,217 · Granted: 46% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 20003417.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded several issues including service connection for ulnar nerve deformity, reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome, and loss of function of the left hand due to a September 2014 arteriovenous (AV) fistula surgery. Additional development is required to obtain informed consent forms and VA treatment records.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected musculoligamentous strain, right knee, is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
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.