The Veteran's left hand condition is being remanded due to a duty to assist error. The AOJ needs to obtain an addendum opinion from an appropriate clinician regarding whether the additional disability was due to an event not reasonably foreseeable.
The deciding factor: The VA medical opinion obtained prior to the HLR rating decision did not address whether the additional disability was due to an unforeseeable event.
- Claimed conditions
- left hand condition
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 10, 2026
- Citation
- A26021779
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation A26021779.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection claims for left elbow, hand, and knee conditions related to gout have been granted. The claim for a left hip condition has been denied due to lack of current disability evidence. Service connection for the left shoulder condition is also denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for lumbosacral spine condition, left wrist condition, and left hand condition due to pre-decisional errors in obtaining evidence and developing his claims.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back condition, left hand condition, diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, and pseudofolliculitis barbae. The Board found that there is no evidence of a continuity of symptoms since service or a nexus to service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the PACT Act requiring a TERA-specific examination and secondary service connection evaluations.
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