The Board has remanded the service connection claims for bilateral wrist, hand, and neck disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions regarding whether these conditions are caused or aggravated by a service-connected right shoulder disability.
The deciding factor: The VA addendum opinions did not address secondary aggravation and were inconsistent with the Federal Circuit's holding in Spicer v. McDonough (2023).
- Claimed conditions
- left wrist disability, right wrist disability, left hand disability, right hand disability, neck disability
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 31, 2026
- Citation
- A26029115
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 A26029115.
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
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the claim for service connection of a neck disability due to pre-decisional error in not obtaining a VA examination and medical opinion.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine, left knee, right knee, right wrist, headaches, and sleep disturbances as there is no persuasive evidence of current disabilities during the appeal period.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings and service connection were dismissed. The Board found that the Veteran withdrew his appeal as to the issues of entitlement to increased disability ratings for left foot metatarsalgia, tinnitus, left wrist disability, right foot plantar warts, and for service connection for right foot plantar warts at a September 2024 hearing. Service connection was granted for migraines.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for neck and back disabilities due to a lack of medical evidence supporting the Veteran's assertions. The VA will obtain an examination and provide an opinion on whether these disabilities are related to service.
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