The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative arthritis of the right and left ankles, as well as his claim for a TDIU based on service-connected lumbar spine disability, are being remanded to allow for additional development.,Specifically, the Veteran needs to be provided with VA examinations to assess the current severity of his lumbar spine disability. Additionally, he should be asked to provide private treatment records from Dr. Crawford/Norton Leatherman.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that remand is necessary as it may impact the Veteran's TDIU claim and requires further development regarding the extent of his service-connected lumbar spine disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Arthritis of Right Ankle, Degenerative Arthritis of Left Ankle, Degenerative Disc Disease of Lumbar Spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 10, 2022
- Citation
- 22027647
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 22027647.
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 Veteran's mood disorder is rated at 70 percent, and his degenerative arthritis of the right ankle is rated at 20 percent. The appeal for a higher rating for the mood disorder is denied.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal is dismissed as he withdrew his claim for an effective date prior to March 20, 2008, for the grant of service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with osteoarthritis and right hemilaminectomy and discectomy. The Board granted increased ratings for the Veteran's low back disability and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathies.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found new and relevant evidence to warrant readjudication of the claims for service connection for a right hip disability and degenerative disc disease of lumbar spine, which were previously denied. The case is being remanded for further development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's sleep apnea, lumbar spine disability, and left hip disabilities are being remanded for further examination to determine their etiology and severity.
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