The Board has decided to remand the case due to inconsistencies in the medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left hand degenerative arthritis. The Veteran is seeking service connection for this condition, which he attributes to his service-connected knee and back disabilities.
The deciding factor: There are conflicting medical opinions about whether the Veteran's left hand degenerative arthritis was caused or aggravated by his service-connected orthopedic disabilities, particularly his bilateral knee and back conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative arthritis of the left hand
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 9, 2022
- Citation
- 22033923
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 22033923.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for all claimed conditions as there was no evidence of a current disability, in-service incurrence or aggravation, and no nexus between the current disabilities and military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, and he is now rated at a 10% disability evaluation for his degenerative arthritis of the right hand and left hand, as well as carpal tunnel syndrome in both upper extremities. The rating for his right ear hearing loss remains noncompensable.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate VA opinions and insufficient evidence. The Veteran's reports of in-service injuries and post-service symptoms will be considered.
- Denied
The Veteran's initial compensable disability rating for residuals of left index finger gunshot wound with retained shrapnel and degenerative arthritis has been denied.
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