The Veteran's varicose veins of the left lower extremity are productive of persistent edema and stasis pigmentation with intermittent ulceration, warranting a 40 percent rating. The Board finds that further development is needed to determine if numbness in the toes affects the severity of his disability.
The deciding factor: The Veteran reported numbness in his toes during the hearing, which was not considered in prior VA examinations and may affect the severity of his varicose veins of the left lower extremity.
- Claimed conditions
- Varicose veins of the left lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 15, 2021
- Citation
- 21074650
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 21074650.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for initial compensable evaluations for right knee scars and residuals of right knee injury post-operative arthroscopy, extension have been dismissed. The appeal for an increased rating for PTSD has also been dismissed.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for varicose veins of both lower extremities, finding no evidence to support a nexus between these conditions and active service or any service-connected disability.
- Granted
The Veteran's claims for service connection for varicose veins of the right and left lower extremities have been granted. The Board also dismissed the claim for a left shoulder disability, as it was withdrawn by the Veteran during his August 2022 hearing. The neck disability and radiculopathy of the right upper extremity secondary to the neck disability are remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's request for a restoration of the 40 percent disability rating for his service-connected varicose veins of the left lower extremity is granted. The issue of entitlement to a higher rating for this condition is remanded due to lack of proper procedural steps in reducing the rating.
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