The Veteran's service connection claims for right ankle, left ankle, and left knee disabilities are remanded due to a duty to assist error. The VA examiner must provide an opinion regarding the onset of these conditions during active service or their relation to incidents in service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was a duty to assist error related to the Veteran's right and left ankle disabilities, as well as his left knee disability, due to insufficient rationale provided by the VA examiner for whether these conditions began during active service or were otherwise related to service. The claims are remanded for further development.
- Claimed conditions
- dermatitis, right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain (right ankle disability), left ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain (left ankle disability), left knee strain (left knee disability)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 6, 2026
- Citation
- A26000823
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 A26000823.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted an effective date of June 8, 2022 for the award of service connection for a skin disability (dermatitis). This decision is based on the receipt of an intent to file dated June 8, 2022.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the appeals regarding various service connection claims and rating determinations due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the failure to attend scheduled VA examinations. Rescheduled VA examinations will be conducted to determine the current severity of his service-connected conditions and the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a skin condition, including basal cell carcinoma, actinic keratoses, and dermatitis, as it found no evidence to support a nexus between his current conditions and his active-duty service.
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