The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a VA examination and opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left ankle disabilities. The claim is reopened, but service connection will be addressed again.
The deciding factor: The examiner needs to determine if the left ankle disabilities are related to an in-service injury or event.
- Claimed conditions
- left ankle sprains, left ankle ligamentous laxity
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 26, 2020
- Citation
- 20021561
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 20021561.
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 Veteran's left ankle sprains are rated at a 20 percent rating, the highest possible under the applicable diagnostic code.
- Granted
The veteran's right and left ankle disabilities are rated at 20 percent due to marked limited motion.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left and right ankle disabilities, finding that they are related to his military service.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for a clothing allowance based on the use of a right foot orthotic device was denied because there is no record of him using such an orthotic in 2020 or 2021.
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