The veteran's appeal is being remanded to comply with VA's duty to notify and assist, including providing notice of what evidence would be needed to establish service connection on a secondary basis. The case will also be reviewed for initial compensable ratings for his bilateral wrist disabilities.
The deciding factor: The claim involves establishing service connection for the veteran's left ankle arthritis as secondary to his service-connected postoperative left Achilles tendon disability, and seeking initial compensable ratings for his service-connected right and left wrist injuries. The case is being remanded due to the need for additional development of evidence and compliance with VA's duty to notify and assist.
- Claimed conditions
- arthritis of the left ankle, residuals of status post right wrist injury, residuals of status post left wrist injury
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 14, 2007
- Citation
- 0735763
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 0735763.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, in combination, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation consistent with his education and work history.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for a neck disorder, diagnosed as arthritis of the cervical spine, and a left leg disorder, diagnosed as arthritis of the left ankle.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed all appeals regarding the Veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of the right ankle, left ankle, left knee, and right knee.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of compliance with prior instructions for an ankle examination. The Veteran's claim for increased disability rating for arthritis of the left ankle is now pending.
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