The Board has dismissed the appeals of entitlement to service connection for right and left ankle disabilities. The issues of a separate compensable rating for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity prior to February 14, 2011, a compensable rating for non-radicular peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity prior to February 14, 2011, and entitlement to TDIU prior to February 14, 2011 are remanded. The issue of an effective date prior to February 14, 2011 for DEA benefits is also remanded.
The deciding factor: The Veteran withdrew the appeals of right and left ankle disabilities in September 2024, leaving only the issues related to radiculopathy and peripheral neuropathy as well as TDIU prior to February 14, 2011 for further development.
- Claimed conditions
- right ankle disability, left ankle disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 29, 2026
- Citation
- 26001208
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 26001208.
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 expanded the scope of the claim to include any mental health disorder raised by the record and has remanded for additional development regarding service connection for left leg, ankle, and psychiatric disabilities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left, right ankle disabilities, left and right hip disabilities, left and right shin splints, and left and right knee disabilities due to inadequate nexus opinions in the VA examination reports. The Veteran contends that her current disabilities are related to injuries sustained during basic training.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of left knee disability, tension headaches, a left ankle disability, and a back disability due to the Veteran's death.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to new evidence received, and a need for additional medical opinions considering the Veteran's military occupation as a water safety survival instructor.
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