The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right wrist synovitis and fractures of the 2nd metacarpal of the right hand are being remanded due to inadequate medical examination in the previous rating decision.
The deciding factor: The VA examination provided was not adequate as it did not accurately test the Veteran's range of motion, particularly regarding his index finger. The examiner found that every finger had a normal range of motion except for one, which is inconsistent with the Veteran's testimony at the Board hearing.
- Claimed conditions
- Right wrist synovitis, Fracture of the 2nd metacarpal of the right hand
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 15, 2021
- Citation
- A21020019
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 A21020019.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA examinations and the need for new evaluations of the Veteran's cervical strain, right knee flexion, and right wrist synovitis conditions.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and referral for extraschedular consideration were denied as the evidence did not support a finding of entitlement to these benefits.,Special monthly compensation based on loss of use of the right hand was also denied, as it was determined that prior to September 29, 2006, the Veteran's wrist disability did not meet the criteria for such compensation.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for tinea pedis, right wrist synovitis, and left wrist synovitis as they did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable VA rating schedule.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
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