The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left middle finger, left ring finger, right ring finger, and right middle finger disabilities due to a duty to assist error. The VA examiners did not provide an adequate opinion regarding whether the Veteran’s functional impairment had an onset during service or was causally related to service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners did not offer an opinion as to whether the Veteran's functional impairment (as documented in November 2017 and May 2018 VA examinations) had an onset during service or is otherwise causally or etiologically due to service, including a fall while running during service.
- Claimed conditions
- left middle finger disability, left ring finger disability, right ring finger disability, right middle finger disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 24, 2020
- Citation
- A20017475
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 A20017475.
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 has remanded the claims for chronic dry eye, chronic fatigue syndrome, constipation, IBS, left little finger disability, left index finger disability, left thumb disability, left ring finger disability, left long finger disability, right ring finger disability, right index finger disability, right long finger disability, and right thumb disability due to an error in the initial decision. The Veteran was not provided with notice of her right to a hearing on these issues.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for left middle finger, right hand (including right middle finger), left arm, and upper back disabilities due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's active military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is granted service connection. The issues of increased ratings for right ring finger disability, left ear growth disability, and swollen lymph node disability are withdrawn. Service connection for allergic rhinitis is granted with a 10% rating. Service connection for hyperhidrosis is granted with a 30% rating.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that new medical opinions are needed to address whether the Veteran's claimed disabilities are related to service, including as due to overuse or wear and tear. The claims for service connection are being remanded.
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