The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed right ankle disorder, including tendonitis, tenosynovitis, sprain, and osteoarthritis.
The deciding factor: The opinions provided by VA examiners are insufficient due to reliance on the absence of further documented treatment for the ankle condition during service and several years following separation from service. The private medical opinion is also deemed insufficient as it lacks supporting rationale.
- Claimed conditions
- right ankle sprain, tendonitis, tenosynovitis, osteoarthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 15, 2024
- Citation
- A24047123
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 A24047123.
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 the Veteran's right ankle disability, finding that it had its onset during service and is related to service. The decision was made after considering both lay and medical evidence.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded for a VA-scheduled aid and attendance/housebound examination to determine eligibility for special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and assistance due to his service-connected disabilities. The examiner must address specific questions regarding the Veteran's ability to perform daily activities, including dressing, feeding, attending to personal hygiene, protection from environmental hazards, and confinement.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right and left ankle disabilities are related to repetitive parachute jumps during service, granting service connection for these conditions.
- Granted
The Board has granted an increase in PCAFC benefits to Level 2, finding that the Veteran requires continuous supervision or protection due to his cognitive decline and repeated falls.
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