The Veteran's left ankle disability, including posttraumatic arthritis and Achilles tendinopathy, has worsened since the last examination. The Board finds a new VA examination is necessary to properly evaluate his condition.
The deciding factor: The Veteran reported worsening symptoms of his left ankle disability, including burning sharp pain in the ankles, which indicates neuropathy and peripheral nerve disease.
- Claimed conditions
- left ankle posttraumatic arthritis, Achilles tendinopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 16, 2021
- Citation
- 21015007
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 21015007.
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
Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is granted. A compensable rating for left lower extremity surgery scar is denied. All other issues are remanded.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's right great toe disability is causally related to his service-connected left ankle disability, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (recurrent depressive disorder and unspecified anxiety disorder) and a right lower extremity disorder (right lower extremity tendonitis, well healed distal fibula injury with mild irregularity seen on X-ray, Achilles tendinopathy).
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased rating and TDIU related to his service-connected left ankle disability are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new VA examination.
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