The Veteran's right middle finger disability is currently rated as 30 percent disabling prior to October 17, 2019 and 70 percent thereafter. The VA has not obtained all relevant treatment records, including those from private providers like Kleinert and Kutz, and the RO needs to obtain these records before making a decision on his increased rating claim.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's right middle finger disability is currently rated based on its severity prior to October 17, 2019 and after that date. The VA has not obtained all relevant treatment records from private providers like Kleinert and Kutz, which are necessary for a complete evaluation of his condition.
- Claimed conditions
- right middle finger sprain/trauma
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 1, 2020
- Citation
- 20064260
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.
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- Granted
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.