The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current right hand/arm disorder and his military service.
The deciding factor: The previous VA examiner's opinions were found to be inadequate due to reliance on the lack of evidence in service treatment records, ignoring the Veteran's lay statements, and not considering the Veteran's buddy statements.
- Claimed conditions
- ankylosis of the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint of the right little finger, osteoarthritis of the right little finger
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 9, 2023
- Citation
- 23014235
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 23014235.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied a compensable rating for osteoarthritis of the right little finger and a rating in excess of 10 percent for osteoarthritis of the right thumb, finding that the Veteran's conditions did not meet the criteria for higher ratings.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected Hashimoto's thyroiditis is granted a 60 percent rating, effective September 7, 2011. She also receives TDIU benefits.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction was denied as the evidence did not show that he had been diagnosed and manifested to at least a 10 percent disability rating on or prior to May 8, 2001.
- Granted
Service connection for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is granted. The appeal as to the issue of entitlement to service connection for erectile dysfunction is dismissed.
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.