The Board has determined that additional development is needed to accurately assess the Veteran's bilateral upper extremity disabilities, specifically left and right wrist CTS with associated radiculopathy and nerve impingement. The remand requires obtaining supplemental VA medical opinions to address the severity of these conditions without considering the ameliorative effects of medication.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that current medical evidence is insufficient to determine the baseline level of severity of the Veteran's bilateral upper extremity disabilities without considering the beneficial effects of his prescribed medications. Therefore, a remand is necessary to obtain supplemental VA medical opinions addressing these conditions in their unmedicated state.
- Claimed conditions
- left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) with left upper extremity (LUE) radiculopathy, right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome with right upper extremity (RUE) radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 20, 2026
- Citation
- 26000724
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 26000724.
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
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