The Board remands the matter for an addendum opinion to determine if the Veteran's right ankle disability is aggravated by his service-connected left ankle disability.
The deciding factor: The March 2024 VA examiner did not properly consider whether the Veteran's right ankle condition would have been less severe but-for his service-connected left ankle disability, and thus an addendum opinion is needed to correct this pre-decisional duty to assist error.
- Claimed conditions
- right ankle disability
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 26, 2025
- Citation
- A25028103
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 multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and various musculoskeletal issues, as well as an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for rhinitis. However, the Board granted a 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection, increased ratings, and earlier effective dates as there was no evidence to support a causal relationship between his current conditions and his active military service.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for right ankle, left ankle, back disability, and other conditions as there is no evidence of a current disability related to the Veteran's military service.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for various musculoskeletal conditions of the left and right hands, shoulders, elbows, wrists, knees, ankles, and foot, but granted service connection for a right knee disability and fibromyalgia. The decision was based on medical evidence that did not support a link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
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