The Board has decided to remand the case due to errors in obtaining a VA examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's right thumb condition. The examiner is asked to provide an addendum opinion addressing whether the Veteran's current right thumb pain is related to his active service, including heavy lifting and exposure to cold weather, or if it is caused by or resulted from his service-connected right hand cold injuries.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was a failure to obtain an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's right thumb condition is related to his active service or if it is caused by his service-connected right hand cold injuries.
- Claimed conditions
- Right thumb condition
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 15, 2024
- Citation
- A24065918
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,036 · Granted: 27% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 A24065918.
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 remands the claims for service connection for left and right knee conditions, as well as a neck condition, to obtain additional medical evidence.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claim for Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) for the period from March 22, 2012 to June 15, 2014 due to incomplete records and further evidentiary development is needed.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a thoracolumbar spine condition and a right thumb condition due to inadequate VA examination opinions. The Veteran contends his conditions are related to in-service injuries, but the VA examiner did not provide sufficient rationale or consider all relevant medical evidence.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the VA medical opinions provided in August 2023 are not sufficient to comply with the December 2022 remand directives. The claims for right ankle, right knee, and right thumb conditions must be returned for further development.
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