The Board remands the claims for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected right ankle sprain with instability and degenerative arthritis, non-dominant left wrist synovial cyst, and painful scar of the left hand due to an inadequate VA examination.
The deciding factor: The examination is inadequate as it does not discount the beneficial effects of medication in assessing the severity of the disability or additional functional impairment caused by flare-ups and repetitive use over time.
- Claimed conditions
- right ankle sprain with instability and degenerative arthritis, non-dominant left wrist synovial cyst, painful scar of the left hand
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 17, 2025
- Citation
- A25035493
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 increased ratings for the Veteran's right and left ankle disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating under the applicable criteria.
- Partly granted
The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a non-painful scar of the left hand was granted with an effective date of March 30, 2020. The veteran's claims for readjudication of bilateral hearing loss and other conditions were remanded.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
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