The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain a new VA examination for the Veteran's service-connected right fifth finger disability and to address his claim for TDIU. The current examinations do not comply with the requirements of Sharp v. Shulkin, 29 Vet. App. 26 (2017), and Correia v. McDonald, 28 Vet. App. 158 (2016).
The deciding factor: The VA examinations did not comply with the requirements of Sharp and Correia for assessing the Veteran's right fifth finger disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Fifth Finger Disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 17, 2022
- Citation
- 22009452
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 22009452.
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 Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability is remanded due to new evidence suggesting aggravation. The claims for increased ratings for his right fifth finger and right eyelid disabilities are also remanded.
- Denied
The Veteran's right fifth finger disability has been manifested by complaints of pain; the limitation of finger function is not equivalent to amputation. The criteria for a higher rating have not been met.
- Denied
The Veteran's right fifth finger disability is manifested by pain with slight hyperextension of the proximal interphalangeal joint and metacarpophalangeal joint, but no muscle atrophy, swelling, warmth, tenderness, ankylosis, or other adverse symptomatology that equates to amputation. The criteria for a compensable rating have not been met.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right fifth finger disability is not related to an injury or event during service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.