The Veteran is seeking higher ratings for his right finger disability and radiculopathy to the right lower extremity. The Board finds that a new examination is needed as the Veteran has stated that his disabilities have increased in severity.
The deciding factor: The Veteran has provided evidence indicating an increase in the severity of his disabilities, necessitating a remand for a new VA examination to assess current functional impairment and determine appropriate disability ratings.
- Claimed conditions
- Right small and ring finger post-traumatic swan neck deformity (right finger disability), Radiculopathy to right lower extremity associated with degenerative joint disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 18, 2020
- Citation
- 20026888
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 20026888.
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
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Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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- Denied
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- Denied
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- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as the evidence shows a current diagnosis of PTSD, an in-service stressor, and a medical link between the two.
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