The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate VA medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's right ankle strain and his service-connected left ankle fracture residuals, as well as the potential development of arthritis in the right ankle joint.
The deciding factor: The previous VA examinations did not adequately address whether the right ankle disability is secondary to the service-connected left ankle fracture residuals or if it was aggravated by a service-connected condition.
- Claimed conditions
- right ankle strain, arthritis of the right ankle joint
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 15, 2019
- Citation
- 19103414
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 granted service connection for a right ankle strain, finding that the Veteran's current condition is etiologically related to an in-service right ankle sprain.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an initial evaluation of 20 percent for left and right ankle strains, denied a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss, and remanded claims for hypertension and gout.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss as there was no evidence that it met a compensable level during the period on appeal.
- Denied
The Board denied earlier effective dates for the grant of service connection and initial increased ratings for various conditions, as well as remanded several issues for further development.
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