The Board remands the claims for a higher disability rating for left wrist, lower back, right hip, and right shoulder disabilities, as well as an increased rating for left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, to obtain a supplemental opinion that evaluates the baseline severity of these conditions without considering the effects of medication.

The deciding factor: The Board must discount beneficial medication effects and evaluate the baseline severity of the disability in compliance with Ingram v. Collins, 38 Vet. App. 130 (2025).

Claimed conditions

left wrist sprain, triangular fibrocartilaginous complex, avascular necrosis of carpal bones and scapholunate and dorsal intercarpal ligament tear (left wrist disability), lower back disability, right hip disability, right shoulder strain

How they argued it

Direct service connection

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

None in this decision

Decision date

December 8, 2025

Citation

A25105340

Want to see how appeals like this one tend to go? Appeals like mine