Citation Nr: 21008679 Decision Date: 02/17/21 Archive Date: 02/17/21 DOCKET NO. 15-39 022 DATE: February 17, 2021 REMANDED Entitlement to service connection for a left ankle condition is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty with the Army from July 2012 to March 2014. This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a March 2015 rating decision issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO). The Veteran testified before the undersigned Veterans Law Judge at a video conference hearing in October 2018. A transcript of the proceeding has been associated with the claims file. In May 2019, the Board most recently remanded the issue below on appeal for further development, and the case has since been returned to the Board. The Board finds that the AOJ has substantially complied with the remand directives. See Stegall v. West, 11Vet. App.268, 271 (1998). Entitlement to service connection for a left ankle condition is remanded. Unfortunately, the Board finds that another remand is warranted. The December 2014 VA Ankle Examination, notably the only ankle examination of record, did not note a left ankle diagnosis and the examiner provided a negative opinion on that basis. Subsequently, the Veteran’s claim was denied in a May 2019 Board decision for lack of current diagnosis. However, the Board notes that evidence of a current left ankle diagnosis, notably a November 2015 tendonitis diagnosis, was not addressed. Accordingly, the Board finds that an addendum opinion is warranted that addresses the Veteran’s current diagnosis. The matters are REMANDED for the following action: 1. Return the Veteran’s claims file to the December 2014 VA examiner for an addendum opinion regarding the etiology of his left ankle condition. If the December 2014 VA examiner is unavailable, the addendum opinion should be rendered by another appropriate medical professional. The need for another clinical evaluation is left to the discretion of the medical professional offering the addendum opinion. (a.) Is the Veteran’s left ankle condition at least as likely as not related to service? (b.) The examiner MUST address the Veteran’s November 2015 tendonitis diagnosis as well as his November 2018 Board hearing testimony regarding a tendonitis diagnosis.   2. Readjudicate the appeal L. M. BARNARD Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals Attorney for the Board R. A. Elliott II, Counsel The Board’s decision in this case is binding only with respect to the instant matter decided. This decision is not precedential and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.