The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hand arthritis conditions.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claims were previously denied, and the most recent grant of service connection was based on a reopened claim filed in February 2009. The Board found that no earlier effective date is warranted as there was no new evidence received prior to the filing of the reopening request.
- Claimed conditions
- Traumatic arthritis residuals of the right index finger (major), Traumatic arthritis residuals of the right middle finger (major), Traumatic arthritis residuals of the right ring finger (major), Traumatic arthritis residuals of the right little finger (major), Traumatic arthritis residuals of the right thumb (major), Traumatic arthritis residuals of the left index finger (minor), Traumatic arthritis residuals of the left little finger (minor), Traumatic arthritis residuals of the left middle finger (minor), Traumatic arthritis residuals of the left ring finger (minor), Traumatic arthritis residuals of the left thumb (minor)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 30, 2020
- Citation
- 20030528
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 20030528.
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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- Granted
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