The Board has remanded the cases due to a lack of an orthopedist's examination, and new evidence may warrant higher ratings for the Veteran's right middle and small finger disabilities.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner needs to provide a comprehensive assessment of the current severity of the Veteran's finger disabilities, including functional loss during flare-ups and with repetitive use over time.
- Claimed conditions
- Right middle finger fracture, Right small finger fracture
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 19, 2023
- Citation
- 23016962
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 23016962.
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 Veteran's claim for a new VA examination to assess his right middle finger disability. The RO must issue a Supplemental Statement of the Case after reviewing all relevant evidence.
- Denied
The Veteran's right small finger fracture is currently rated as noncompensable due to the lack of more than slight impairment in motion and strength, despite his complaints of pain.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee disabilities and right middle finger fracture residuals are being remanded for additional development.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's current right middle finger problems are not related to his in-service fracture, but rather to a post-service industrial accident. As such, he does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.
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.