The Veteran's right ankle condition and scar have been remanded for further development. Additionally, the Board has found that service connection is warranted for a separate rating for neurological impairment of the bilateral lower extremities.
The deciding factor: Service connection was not granted for the issues on appeal due to procedural reasons (remand).
- Claimed conditions
- Right Ankle Degenerative Joint Disease, Right Ankle Scar
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 1, 2021
- Citation
- 21066462
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 21066462.
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 Board denied service connection for a right ankle disorder, including degenerative joint disease and tendonitis. The appeal was also denied for increased ratings for right lower extremity shin splints with painful motion of the right knee and left lower extremity shin splints.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for sinusitis and depressive disorder, but denied service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, right leg shin splints, left leg shin splints, a higher rating for the right knee, and other conditions. The decision was based on the evidence of record.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee and ankle disabilities were denied in a December 2006 rating decision. The Veteran filed new claims on July 14, 2011, which were denied again in November 2015. The Board found the December 2017 VA Form 9 was timely received, granting service connection for bilateral knee and ankle disabilities effective March 19, 2018. The Veteran's claims are now remanded due to a lack of adequate examination regarding his bilateral knee flare-ups.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him so incapable of performing the activities of daily living that he requires care or assistance on a regular basis to protect him from hazards or dangers incident to his daily environment. The Board has granted SMC based on the need for aid and attendance.
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