The Veteran's claim for restoration of a 50 percent rating for chronic low back strain with diffuse degenerative disc disease and degenerative changes, effective April 1, 2018, is granted.,Service connection for a bilateral wrist disorder is denied.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations used to support the reduction were inadequate as they did not estimate the degree of additional range-of-motion loss after repeated use. The examination was therefore considered insufficient.,VA opinions obtained in April 2019 failed to address the Board's December 2018 remand directives, and thus a new VA examination is needed for both bilateral foot and hand disorders.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic low back strain with diffuse degenerative disc disease and degenerative changes, bilateral wrist disorder, bilateral hand and/or knuckle disorder, bilateral foot disorder (gout and/or arthritis)
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- July 29, 2020
- Citation
- 20050389
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 20050389.
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
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral shoulder, elbow, wrist, and hip disorders due to a lack of current diagnoses in the medical records.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for an oral disability, claimed as gum disease, and remanded the claims for a bilateral wrist disorder and a bilateral elbow disorder.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for a bilateral wrist and bilateral elbow disorder as there is no current disability.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Veteran's claims for service connection for several conditions were denied. The claim for gastroesophageal reflux disease was remanded.
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