The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for further development due to inadequate rationale provided by a VA examiner in their February 2020 examination. The issues of entitlement to service connection for left and right ankle disorders, left and right foot disorders, a left hand disorder, and residuals, fracture fifth finger right hand are being remanded as the VA examiner did not account for the Veteran's lay statements regarding pain in both ankles and his in-service findings. The issue of entitlement to service connection for residuals, dislocated right shoulder is also being remanded due to inadequate rationale provided by the VA examiner.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the February 2020 VA examination did not provide an adequate rationale for its conclusions regarding the Veteran's ankle and foot disorders. Specifically, it did not account for the Veteran's lay statements about pain in both ankles and his in-service findings of arthritis or degenerative joint disease.
- Claimed conditions
- left ankle disorder, right ankle disorder, left foot disorder, right foot disorder, left hand disability, residuals, fracture fifth finger right hand, residuals, dislocated right shoulder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 3, 2022
- Citation
- 22032732
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 22032732.
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 Veteran's service connection claims for lumbosacral strain, asthma, melasma and hydradenitis, hypertension, an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as depression, anxiety, and stress), left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, left knee disorder, a left foot disorder, and IBS have been granted. The remaining issues are remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for lower back, right hip, and right ankle disorders as secondary to his left knee disorder. The AOJ must obtain VA examinations and provide answers to questions regarding the etiology of these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, left ankle disorder, and skin disorder (claimed as neurodermatitis) due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran is required to undergo additional VA examinations to determine if his current conditions are related to service.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that side effects from prescribed medications contributed substantially and materially to his accidental motorcycle collision resulting in fatal injuries.
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