The Board remands the veteran's claims for service connection for various degenerative arthritic conditions of multiple joints and the lower back, as additional evidence is needed.
The deciding factor: Remand required due to outstanding VA treatment records prior to September 2010 that may be relevant to the claims.
- Claimed conditions
- left ankle degenerative arthritis, left elbow degenerative arthritis, left index finger degenerative arthritis, left little finger degenerative arthritis, left long finger degenerative arthritis, left thumb degenerative arthritis, left knee degenerative arthritis, left shoulder degenerative arthritis, left wrist/arm degenerative arthritis, lower back degenerative arthritis, right index finger degenerative arthritis, right little finger degenerative arthritis, right long finger degenerative arthritis, right ring finger degenerative arthritis, right thumb degenerative arthritis, right shoulder degenerative arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 19, 2025
- Citation
- A25044500
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 an increased rating of more than 20 percent for left ankle degenerative arthritis from February 19, 2024.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for left knee degenerative arthritis and a rating of 30 percent for left knee joint instability, while remanding other issues.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the appeals for earlier effective dates related to various left and right hip, knee, shoulder, and other conditions as they were freestanding claims not continuously pursued from the initial rating decisions.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and right knee osteoarthritis, but denied service connection for left knee degenerative arthritis, right hand degenerative arthritis, left hand degenerative arthritis, left shoulder subdeltoid bursitis (claimed as degenerative arthritis), right shoulder strain (claimed as degenerative arthritis), major depressive disorder, and an anxiety disorder.
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