The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral heel spurs, finding that the condition did not result from his military service and was unrelated to any in-service activity or event.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found no causal link between the veteran's service as a law enforcement officer and the development of his plantar calcaneal heel spur syndrome, which manifested nearly 30 years after his last period of active duty.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral heel spurs
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- August 19, 2002
- Citation
- 0210071
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0210071.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of bilateral heel spurs and peripheral neuropathy in the feet. The VA clinician is asked to provide an opinion on whether these conditions are causally or etiologically related to the Veteran's self-reported stress fractures and wearing ill-fitting shoes during service.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Veteran's anxiety disorder is granted a 70 percent rating, and TDIU is denied. Several service connection claims are remanded.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for hypertension and bilateral heel spurs, but denied increased ratings for carpal tunnel release scars and remanded claims for increased ratings of various conditions.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral heel spurs, bilateral midfoot arthritis, and right posterior tibial tendonitis due to an inadequate VA medical opinion.
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