The Veteran's claim of entitlement to a higher evaluation for his service-connected chronic left ankle strain is being remanded due to the inadequacy of the October 2008 VA examination and the need for further development.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the October 2008 VA examination was inadequate, particularly regarding range of motion testing in active and passive motion, as well as weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing settings. The examiner did not provide sufficient information to determine if there is pain on motion or functional loss due to pain.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic left ankle strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 4, 2017
- Citation
- 1755605
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 1755605.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issues of entitlement to service connection for chronic right and left ankle strain due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, specifically the failure to obtain an adequate medical opinion.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for chronic left ankle strain, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on moderate limitation of motion.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the cases for additional examinations to determine the current severity of the Veteran's cervical spine strain and hypothyroidism, as the previous VA examinations were inadequate.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, as he has maintained employment during the appeal period and his disabilities have allowed him to contribute positively through volunteer work.
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