The Veteran's right ankle disability is rated at 10 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted due to lack of ankylosis or marked limitation of motion.,For her pes planus and chronic constipation claims, additional evidence is needed as VA examinations are required.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's right ankle disability does not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on its current symptoms and examination findings.
- Claimed conditions
- Lateral collateral ligament sprain with edema and osteoarthritis of the right ankle, Bilateral pes planus (flatfeet) disability, Chronic constipation, Hypothyroidism
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 8, 2020
- Citation
- 20024173
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 20024173.
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.
- Denied
The Board has denied service connection for high blood pressure, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), aortic valve regurgitation, and hypothyroidism as the evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection due to lack of in-service diagnosis or chronic symptoms.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for Major Depressive Disorder, Hypothyroidism, and Hypertension. The decision is based on direct evidence of these conditions during service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim of entitlement to an initial compensable disability rating for right shin splints due to inadequate examination and failure to address increased symptomatology during flare-ups. The Veteran's service connection for hypothyroidism was granted in full, leaving only her right shin splint issue on appeal.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD, hypertension, DMII, hypothyroidism, and skin condition are related to his active-duty service. However, further development is needed for the claims of erectile dysfunction and skin condition due to potential exposure to toxins during service.
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