The Veteran seeks service connection for a right foot and ankle disability. The Board has determined that the current examination report is not responsive to the remand directives, necessitating further development.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner's opinion does not consider all of the Veteran's reported in-service right foot or ankle problems and diagnoses, including degenerative arthritis and ongoing pain since service.
- Claimed conditions
- right ankle instability, arthralgia, Tailor's bunion of the fifth metatarsophalangeal joint (MTPJ), fifth MTPJ capsulitis, fat pad atrophy of the fifth MTPJ, sinus tarsi impingement, compensatory hallux limitus of the first MTPJ, degenerative arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 24, 2014
- Citation
- 1428448
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 1428448.
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 Board has restored the Veteran's rating for his right elbow condition from 10 percent to 20 percent effective May 5, 2025, finding that the evidence was in equipoise regarding whether there had been improvement in the Veteran's ability to function under ordinary conditions of life and work.
- Granted
The Board has granted earlier effective dates of January 13, 2020 for the service connection of low back disability and related radiculopathy issues. The Veteran's claims were reopened due to new evidence submitted in January 2020.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, finding that it is related to his in-service injury. The claimant did not contest this decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to predecisional duty-to-assist errors, including inadequate medical opinions and missed VA examinations. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back condition is being returned to the RO for further action.
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