The Board has remanded the claim due to deficiencies in the February 2015 VA ankle conditions examination findings and for obtaining additional treatment records.
The deciding factor: The Board found that substantial compliance with its previous remand directives was not met, specifically regarding the need for a new VA examination addressing specific range of motion measurements associated with reduced functionality.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral achilles tendonitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 26, 2024
- Citation
- 24012735
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 24012735.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, back disability, bilateral achilles tendonitis, gout, diabetes mellitus, type 2 (DMII), obstructive sleep apnea, and an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include anxiety and depression. The Board denied increased ratings for right and left knee degenerative joint disease, separate ratings for instability of the knees, a separate rating for residuals of a right knee meniscectomy, and service connection for bilateral leg pain, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), chronic sinus disability, respiratory disability due to exposure to asbestos, heart murmur, irregular heartbeat, and seizures.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected conditions caused him to become obese, which was a substantial factor in causing his obstructive sleep apnea. The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected chronic lumbar strain including status post discectomy residuals with IVDS, bilateral calcaneal heel spur, bilateral achilles tendonitis, and bilateral knee strain with history of patellofemoral syndrome.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found that there has not been substantial compliance with the most recent remand and additional development is required. Specifically, VA was to request records from treatment provider S.B., but did not do so using the correct street address on Stelton Road.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's service-connected bilateral achilles tendonitis disability has prevented him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to July 20, 2011. The Board has remanded the case for a determination on whether TDIU should be granted on an extraschedular basis.
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