The Board has determined that there are duty to assist errors in the right and left wrist issues, as well as the right hand or fingers tendonitis issue. These errors include obtaining medical opinions prior to the relevant rating decisions on appeal.,The Veteran's service connection claims for his wrists and hands have been remanded due to a lack of adequate rationale regarding whether his conditions had their onset in service or are otherwise related to service.
The deciding factor: There were duty to assist errors in obtaining medical opinions prior to the relevant rating decisions on appeal, which did not provide an adequate rationale for determining whether the Veteran's wrist and hand conditions had their onset in service or are otherwise related to service.
- Claimed conditions
- Right wrist degenerative arthritis (osteoarthritis), Left wrist degenerative arthritis (osteoarthritis), Right hand or fingers tendonitis (tendinitis)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 12, 2026
- Citation
- A26022646
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 A26022646.
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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- Denied
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- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as the evidence shows a current diagnosis of PTSD, an in-service stressor, and a medical link between the two.
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