The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA medical opinion regarding the Veteran's left ankle disability. The examiner did not adequately discuss the Veteran's lay statements and concluded that his current condition may be related to post-service employment, which is considered speculative.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner’s opinion was found to be insufficient as it did not provide a clear conclusion with supporting data and a reasoned medical explanation connecting the Veteran's lay contentions to the etiology of his left ankle disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative joint disease of the left ankle
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 9, 2021
- Citation
- 21007216
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 21007216.
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 Veteran's claim for eligibility for specially adapted housing and special home adaptation grant was denied as he does not meet the criteria for a qualifying total service-connected disability rating or loss of use of lower extremities.
- Dismissed
The appeal for increased ratings for degenerative joint disease of the left ankle and erectile dysfunction was withdrawn by the Veteran, resulting in their dismissal. The claims for allergic rhinitis, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and migraine headaches are remanded for further development.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected left and right ankle disabilities prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment, leading to a TDIU on an extraschedular basis.
- Granted
Service connection is granted for thrombosis of the left axillary and subclavian vein. The Board also finds that service connection is warranted for degenerative joint disease of the right ankle, left ankle, left shoulder, right shoulder, epicondylitis of the left elbow, epicondylitis of the right elbow, degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine, and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine. Service connection was not granted for peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, left lower extremity, right upper extremity, or left upper extremity.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.