The Board has determined that the claim should be remanded to obtain a more complete medical opinion regarding the etiology of the appellant's bilateral foot disorders and whether they are related to his military service.
The deciding factor: The previous VA examination did not provide sufficient information on whether any of the diagnosed foot disorders had their onset during active duty or were related in some manner to the appellant's military service, including a discussion of the assertions made by the appellant concerning the etiology of his then-current foot disorders and disability.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral foot disorders, arthritis of the feet
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 25, 2012
- Citation
- 1218775
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 1218775.
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 remanded the case due to errors in obtaining service records and a need for a VA examination to determine if any current foot disorders are related to service.
- Denied
The Board denied earlier effective dates for service connection and initial ratings, as well as special monthly compensation.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the Veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of the feet and plantar fasciitis to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral foot disorders, including plantar fasciitis, as secondary to his service-connected PTSD is being remanded due to the lack of a thorough opinion addressing the potential intermediate step of obesity/weight gain in relation to his PTSD and foot disorders.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.