The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including a new VA examination and consideration of the veteran's claim for service connection for a low back strain as secondary to his service-connected pes planus.
The deciding factor: There is conflicting medical evidence regarding the etiology of the veteran's low back disorder. The Board cannot make its own independent medical determination without plausible reasons based on medical evidence in the record, and thus requires further examination to address this apparent conflict between private medical opinions and the VA examiner’s conclusion.
- Claimed conditions
- low back strain, pes planus
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 26, 2006
- Citation
- 0602196
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.
- Partly granted
The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's back, right ring finger, and left foot hallux valgus disabilities but granted an initial 30 percent rating for pes planus from August 17, 2021, a 50 percent rating for pes planus from December 15, 2023, and a separate 10 percent rating for bilateral plantar fasciitis from August 17, 2021.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to follow and secure substantially gainful employment, thus a total disability rating for individual unemployability is granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a left foot disability to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error, specifically regarding an inadequate October 2024 VA examination.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for pes planus, bilateral degenerative changes of the feet, bilateral hammertoe deformity, bilateral foot ulcers, and onychomycosis as there was no evidence to support an increase in severity during active service.
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