The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for a right ankle disability prior to February 14, 2022, and in excess of 20 percent thereafter, as well as his claim for TDIU due to service-connected disability. The VA will obtain updated records of VA treatment and provide the record on appeal to another qualified examiner to offer an opinion regarding the severity of the Veteran's right ankle disability.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the provided medical opinions were not fully adequate, particularly in terms of describing the functional loss in a manner that clearly corresponds to the applicable rating criteria for ankylosis. The need for another addendum opinion was also noted due to insufficient information regarding how frequently and long the level of impairment occurred.
- Claimed conditions
- Right ankle disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 7, 2024
- Citation
- 24006544
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 24006544.
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 claim for an earlier effective date of January 10, 1997, for a 10% disability rating for his right ankle disability is denied as there was no CUE in the previous decisions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's right ankle disability is related to his service. The VA examiner must provide an opinion on this matter.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has dismissed the appeals to reduce disability ratings for bilateral hearing loss and right ankle disabilities. The case is REMANDED for a VA examination regarding the service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD.
- Granted
The Veteran's right ankle disability is granted a 20 percent rating, but no higher. The claim for a compensable rating for Pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB) is denied.
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