The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left ankle arthritis and lumbar osteoarthritis, as well as his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's left ankle scars are currently rated at 0 percent, while his left ankle arthritis is rated at 20 percent. His lumbar osteoarthritis remains at 40 percent.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings for any of the conditions based on current criteria and remanded to allow for further development or clarification.
- Claimed conditions
- left ankle arthritis, lumbar osteoarthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 6, 2020
- Citation
- 20009729
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 20009729.
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.
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The appeal of the proposed reduction in PTSD rating from 70% to 50%, and for service connection claims related to various joints and diabetes mellitus type II, has been dismissed due to procedural issues. The Veteran withdrew his appeals.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's requests to reopen previously denied service connection claims for various joint conditions, including right ankle arthritis, left ankle arthritis, right shoulder pain, left shoulder pain, right knee arthritis, and left knee arthritis. The skin condition claim is remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for left ankle arthritis, left foot nerve damage and numbness, and right ankle sciatica nerve pain due to inadequate opinions in the February 2025 VA examination.
- Denied
The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, headaches, hypertension, neck disability, right hand arthritis of fingers, left hand arthritis of fingers, right knee arthritis, left knee arthritis, right ankle arthritis, left ankle arthritis, and left foot arthritis of toes. The Board also remanded the issues regarding service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis.,The Board has denied service connection for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and incontinence. The Board has also denied service connection for a bilateral eye disability.
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