The Veteran's asthma disability is currently rated as 30 percent disabling, and an increased rating in excess of 30 percent is denied.,The Veteran's left hand fifth finger disability is currently rated as noncompensable, and a compensable rating is denied.,Service connection for bilateral knee disability is remanded due to insufficient evidence.,Service connection for lumbar spine disability is remanded due to insufficient evidence.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's asthma disability does not meet the criteria for a higher than 30 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 6602, as his PFT results do not warrant such an increase.,The Veteran's left hand fifth finger disability is rated noncompensable due to lack of compensable limitation of motion or painful motion. The VA examiner determined that the Veteran's disability does not meet criteria for amputation with prosthesis.,Service connection cannot be established as there is insufficient evidence linking the bilateral knee disabilities to service, including a history of knee pain in service and osteoarthritis currently diagnosed.,Service connection cannot be established as there is insufficient evidence linking the lumbar spine disability to service, including a history of lower back pain or joint swelling in service and current diagnosis of osteoarthritis.
- Claimed conditions
- Asthma, Left Hand Fifth Finger Disability (Boutonniere Deformity), Bilateral Knee Disability, Lumbar Spine Disability
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 2, 2026
- Citation
- A26018543
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 A26018543.
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 Veteran's asthma is currently rated as 10 percent disabling, and the Board finds that this rating adequately compensates his service-connected condition.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's asthma is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.,The Veteran's sleep apnea claim has been remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, asthma, and foot conditions, rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation consistent with his education and work history throughout the appeal period.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand several cases related to the Veteran's PTSD, asthma, and other conditions. The issues include increased disability ratings for PTSD and asthma, as well as effective date determinations.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.