The Board has granted service connection for left thumb tendonitis but remanded the claims for a left-hand disorder other than tendonitis, diabetes, and erectile dysfunction due to potential issues with causation or aggravation.
The deciding factor: The medical opinions are needed to clarify whether the Veteran's carpal tunnel syndrome is related to his in-service injury and if his service-connected fibromyalgia caused or aggravated his diabetes.
- Claimed conditions
- left thumb tendonitis, left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 21, 2023
- Citation
- 23017489
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 23017489.
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 claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the addition of new evidence. The Veteran is also asked to complete a TDIU claim form, and his bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and face numbness need to be evaluated.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for right wrist and left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, finding that the Veteran's current condition is at least as likely as not caused by his military service.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, and pseudofolliculitis barbae as they were not properly appealed to the Board.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of August 27, 2020, for left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome is granted.,New and relevant evidence has been received to reopen the claims for service connection of lower back disability, acquired psychiatric disorder, hepatitis C, left ankle disability, left hip disability, left thumb disability, liver cancer, and an acquired psychiatric disorder.
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