The Veteran's ankle disorders have worsened, and additional VA examinations are needed to determine the current severity of her service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Veteran testified that her symptomatology has increased in severity, and recent treatment records indicate worsening. The Board finds that a new examination is necessary to assess the current level of disability.
- Claimed conditions
- left ankle post-traumatic arthritis with old fracture of talus, right ankle post-traumatic arthritis with old fracture of talus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 29, 2019
- Citation
- 19167423
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 19167423.
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 granted a 20 percent disability evaluation for left and right ankle post-traumatic arthritis with old fracture of talus, effective December 16, 2011. The claim for higher evaluations was denied.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD due to an inadequate medical opinion.
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