The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right hand and right knee disabilities due to incomplete medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions. The Veteran's current disabilities are being evaluated again with additional examination and consideration of all relevant evidence.
The deciding factor: Incomplete medical opinions were provided in the March 2022 VA examination report, which did not substantially comply with the Board's remand instructions.
- Claimed conditions
- Right hand degenerative arthritis, Right knee apophysitis with traction spurs, chondromalacia patella, and quadriplegic residual of spinal cord injury
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 23, 2022
- Citation
- 22036307
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 22036307.
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 claims for right hand, left hand, right knee, and left knee degenerative arthritis due to inadequate medical opinions from a previous VA examination. The Veteran is advised that she should submit any additional evidence supporting her in-service experiences as the etiology of her claimed conditions.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 50 percent for his psychiatric disorder is dismissed. The Board also remanded the claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, left hand degenerative arthritis, and right hand degenerative arthritis.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, right hand degenerative arthritis, left knee degenerative arthritis and strain, right foot contusion, and right great toe disability manifested by pain. The decision is based on credible lay evidence showing continuous symptoms since separation from active duty.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder has been reopened and granted.,Service connection for right traumatic ulnar neuropathy is granted as secondary to a service-connected disability.,Service connection for a right hand disorder, including degenerative arthritis, and a right shoulder disorder, including SLAP tear and degenerative arthritis, are denied as not related to the service-connected condition.
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