The Veteran's right ankle condition is remanded due to the lack of an adequate etiology opinion in his VA examination report.,The Veteran's left eye condition is remanded as there are new diagnoses and no opinion on its relationship to service-connected scars.
The deciding factor: Further medical evaluation is needed to determine if the Veteran’s current conditions are related to his military service, particularly given recent diagnoses and treatment records not previously considered.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Ankle Condition, Left Eye Condition, Dizziness Condition, Headache Condition, Acquired Psychiatric Disorder (to include PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 16, 2021
- Citation
- 21014921
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 21014921.
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 Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right knee, left knee, right ankle, and left ankle conditions as secondary to his service-connected left hip replacement.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to new and relevant evidence received, including VA examinations and opinions that tend to prove or disprove the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder. The cervical spine condition is denied as there was no in-service onset or chronicity.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that there are errors in the decision-making process and requires additional development to ensure compliance with VA's duty to assist. The Veteran is entitled to service connection for various conditions, but further evidence is needed due to missing service records.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left eye condition, bilateral knee pain, low back pain, and bilateral shoulder pain due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The Veteran's STRs are incomplete and need to be obtained, as well as VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of any diagnosed disabilities.
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