The Board remands the claims for service connection for right ankle joint pain, left ankle joint pain, and left wrist joint pain as the Veteran has not been afforded a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of her claimed conditions.
The deciding factor: The AOJ's failure to schedule the Veteran for a VA examination constitutes a pre-decisional duty to assist error, and the Veteran's claim must be remanded so that she is afforded an examination prior to adjudication.
- Claimed conditions
- right ankle joint pain, left ankle joint pain, left wrist joint pain
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 19, 2025
- Citation
- A25044632
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 remands the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including back pain, knee and wrist joint pains, neck pain, anxiety, depression, as further development is needed to properly adjudicate these claims.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for chronic sinusitis, headaches as proximately due to the service-connected chronic sinusitis, posttraumatic stress disorder and major depressive disorder, and obstructive sleep apnea. The claims for edema and right ankle joint pain were denied.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that the evidence did not support higher ratings or additional service-connected conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for left ankle joint pain, right ankle joint pain, left hip joint pain, left shoulder joint pain, right shoulder joint pain, and tinnitus to correct pre-decisional errors in the duty to assist.
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.