The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ankle and low back disabilities due to insufficient evidence in the original decision. The VA is required to provide an addendum opinion on whether there is a relationship between these conditions and service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner did not adequately address all relevant medical findings, including x-rays from service, and the Veteran's contentions regarding his chronic left ankle disability and its relation to multiple strains during service.
- Claimed conditions
- Left ankle fracture and osteoarthritis, Lumbar disc disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 5, 2021
- Citation
- 21006773
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 21006773.
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.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical strain, left knee strain, and right knee strain remain denied. The claim for service connection for lumbar disc disease is remanded due to the need for a VA examination.
- Granted
The Veteran's daughter, P., is recognized as a helpless child due to her disabilities and inability to support herself prior to the age of 18. The claim was reopened based on new evidence showing she became permanently incapable of self-support before reaching the age of 18.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeal for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine with lumbar disc disease and radiculopathy to the left leg due to his withdrawal during a hearing. The issue of service connection for a urethral stricture (claimed as a urology condition) is remanded.
- Denied
A 10 percent rating for a surgical scar associated with lumbar disc disease prior to May 18, 2017 is granted.,A rating in excess of 10 percent for the same condition since May 18, 2017 is denied.,An effective date earlier than August 22, 2016, for SMC at the housebound rate is denied.
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