The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right thumb disability, specifically whether it is related to service. The Veteran needs a VA examination to provide this information.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was not enough evidence in the record to determine if the current right thumb disability is related to service, necessitating further investigation through a VA examination.
- Claimed conditions
- residuals of a right thumb injury, traumatic arthritis of the right MCP joint
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 8, 2020
- Citation
- 20065425
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,699 · Granted: 17% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 20065425.
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
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
Your appeal has been dismissed because the Veteran died during the pendency of your appeal. The Board cannot issue a decision on the underlying claim(s) at this time.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for residuals of a right thumb injury, a right wrist disability, and a left knee disability. The decisions are based on the Veteran's reported in-service injuries and current diagnoses.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical records and a need for an examination of the Veteran's right thumb residuals. The claim will be reconsidered after these actions are completed.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development on issues related to a higher rating for right thumb injuries and TDIU. The Veteran's employment history is unclear, and his Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits claim records are needed.
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