The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's bilateral lower extremity condition, specifically ankle pain and swelling. The VA examiner is required to determine if there is a current diagnosis of ankle problems and whether the Veteran's reported lower extremity pain results in functional impairment for VA purposes.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the VA examination did not consider causes other than orthopedic disabilities for the Veteran's lower extremity pain and swelling, constituting a duty to assist error.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral leg pain, ankle swelling
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 17, 2024
- Citation
- A24084199
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 A24084199.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current conditions and his military service.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for a chronic undiagnosed illness manifested by bilateral leg pain, bilateral hand tremors, sinus problems, shortness of breath and recurrent transient ear noise due to Gulf War service. Service connection was denied for CFS.
- 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.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for a right knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, and bilateral leg pain but granted earlier effective dates for the award of service connection for tinnitus, major depressive disorder, low back disability, left ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain, radiculopathy, right lower extremity, sciatic nerve, and radiculopathy, left lower extremity, sciatic nerve.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.