The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate statement of reasons or bases and failure to provide clear definitions for terms used in the rating criteria. The Veteran's left ankle disability is being evaluated again as a result.
The deciding factor: The Court found that the Board did not provide adequate reasons or bases for its decision, particularly regarding the use of undefined terms in Diagnostic Code 5262 and failure to assess whether a new examination was warranted based on the Veteran's complaints of worsening symptoms.
- Claimed conditions
- fracture of left medial malleolus, left ankle osteoarthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 7, 2022
- Citation
- 22000901
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,272 · Granted: 31% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 22000901.
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 a left 5th metatarsal fracture, as well as secondary service connection for left foot and ankle osteoarthritis to the same condition. The decision is based on evidence that supports these claims.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for left ankle osteoarthritis, right ankle osteoarthritis, and right foot metatarsalgia.,Service connection is established based on direct evidence of the conditions in question.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for SMC based on the need for aid and attendance of another, as well as initial disability ratings for his left ankle osteoarthritis and right lower extremity radiculitis, are being remanded due to deficiencies in VA examinations and duty-to-assist errors.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment, thus his claim for TDIU on an extraschedular basis is denied.
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