The Veteran's claim for residuals of a left-hand index finger injury is denied as there is no evidence of an in-service injury.,Service connection for migraine disorder is denied because the Veteran does not have a separate headache disability apart from his sinusitis.,Peripheral neuropathy, left upper extremity, is denied due to lack of evidence linking it to service. The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy may be related to a nonservice-connected cervical spine condition.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded as the etiology and relationship to service need further clarification.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not have an in-service injury that resulted in residuals of a left-hand index finger injury. The evidence does not support a separate diagnosis of migraine disorder apart from sinusitis.,There is no direct link between the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy and service, as it may be related to a nonservice-connected cervical spine condition. Service connection for this issue cannot be granted based on the current evidence.,The Veteran has an acquired psychiatric disorder but there is insufficient evidence linking it to service. The claim must be remanded to allow for further examination and consideration of potential in-service stressors.
- Claimed conditions
- residuals of a left-hand index finger injury, migraine disorder, peripheral neuropathy, left upper extremity, acquired psychiatric disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 27, 2021
- Citation
- 21025151
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 21025151.
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
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The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for an addendum opinion regarding the nature and etiology of his unspecified neurocognitive disorder, which was diagnosed after a September 2021 heart surgery. The issues are about service connection on the merits.
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