The Board remands the claims for a compensable disability rating for various finger disabilities and entitlement to TDIU due to an inadequate statement of reasons or bases in the previous decision.
The deciding factor: The Board failed to discuss the implication of higher ratings by way of functional equivalent ankylosis during a flare-up, necessitating a remand for further examination.
- Claimed conditions
- left little finger disability, right little finger disability, left ring finger disability, right ring finger disability, left index finger disability, right index finger disability, left long finger disability, right long finger disability, left thumb disability, right thumb disability
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 24, 2025
- Citation
- 25005558
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various disabilities, including gastrointestinal issues, foot problems, ED, hemorrhoids, hernia, hypertension, nerve conditions in the lower extremities, shoulder and thumb issues, except for right ear hearing loss which was granted.
- Denied
The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's service-connected hematuria, left knee disability, and right knee disability. The Board also remanded several claims for service connection.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings, finding that the evidence did not support a higher or compensable rating for any of the conditions on appeal.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter for a new examination to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error, specifically regarding the evaluation of the Veteran's right thumb disability.
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