The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to increased ratings for residuals of left ankle sprain, right ankle arthritis, and lumbar spine degenerative arthritis. Additionally, the effective dates for the 10 percent ratings assigned to right and left foot hallux valgus are being addressed.
The deciding factor: The Board found that remand was necessary due to a lack of medical records from the Atlanta VAMC and an inadequate examination addressing the Veteran's complaints of flare-ups.
- Claimed conditions
- right foot hallux valgus, left foot hallux valgus, residuals of left ankle sprain, right ankle arthritis, lumbar spine degenerative arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 4, 2020
- Citation
- 20077160
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 20077160.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found the eligibility determination for PCAFC enrollment to be legally inadequate and remanded for a new medical opinion that adequately addresses the criteria for eligibility as set forth in VA regulations.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis and DDD, as well as right and left lower extremity radiculopathy secondary to the now service-connected lumbar spine condition. The decision is based on a finding of relative equipoise in the evidence regarding whether these conditions are related to service.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their death during the pendency of the appeal. The Board cannot issue a decision on the merits as they have no jurisdiction.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew all appeals regarding his service-connected conditions and related disability ratings, effective as of March 16, 2026.
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