The Board remands the claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for a left ankle disability, ratings in excess of 10 percent for various left knee disabilities, and an initial compensable rating for a lumbar disability due to insufficient evidence.
The deciding factor: The examinations were not performed by qualified physicians and did not address inconsistencies in the Veteran's reports and examination findings.
- Claimed conditions
- Left ankle disability, Left knee disability (limited flexion), Left knee disability (painful extension and functional loss), Left knee disability (slight instability), Left knee disorder (moderate instability), Lumbar disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 4, 2025
- Citation
- 25004647
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 Board denied service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, type II, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, hypertension, asthma/lung disease, vision disability, bilateral plantar fasciitis, leukocytosis, kidney disease/kidney stones, enlarged prostate, sleep apnea, rheumatoid arthritis, lumbar spine disability, right ankle disability, and left ankle disability.
- Granted
The Board granted earlier effective dates for the award of increased ratings for a lumbar disability and lower extremity radiculopathies, effective August 4, 2022.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error regarding VA's obligation to obtain relevant records from the Social Security Administration.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including plantar fasciitis of both feet, a low back disability, a left ankle disability, meniscus tears in both knees, and hip disabilities, as additional development is necessary to obtain adequate medical opinions.
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.