The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected degenerative arthritis of the right wrist is being remanded due to inadequate prior examinations and the need for updated VA treatment records.
The deciding factor: The prior VA examinations did not account for or evaluate the Veteran's reports of experiencing flare-ups, which are necessary to determine the severity of his disability during periods of exacerbation.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative arthritis of the right wrist
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 4, 2023
- Citation
- 23025887
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 23025887.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's right wrist disability is rated at 10 percent, but the Board has granted a rating of 40 percent for degenerative arthritis of the right wrist (major extremity), finding that his constant pain effectively precludes all movement due to ankylosis in a resting position.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and remanded several service connection claims due to a lack of evidence regarding the etiology of certain conditions.
- Granted
The Veteran's use of VA-issued right wrist and bilateral knee braces caused excessive wear and tear on his clothing, warranting the award of clothing allowances for 2014.
- Denied
The Veteran's right wrist disability is currently rated at 10 percent for degenerative arthritis, but the Board finds that his symptoms do not warrant a higher rating as there is no evidence of ankylosis or other conditions that would allow for a higher evaluation.
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