The Board denied service connection for depression and anxiety, finding that the Veteran's mental disorders are not related to his military service. Service connection was granted for residuals of pectus excavatum.,Service connection was also remanded for hammer toes and bilateral lower extremities condition (to include as secondary to service-connected disability).
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's depression and anxiety were not related to his military service, but rather due to personal circumstances following his son's death. The examiner opined that these conditions are less likely caused by any service-connected disabilities.,Service connection was granted for residuals of pectus excavatum as it is a congenital condition aggravated during service.
- Claimed conditions
- depression and anxiety, pectus excavatum, hammer toes, bilateral lower extremities condition (to include as secondary to service-connected disability)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 24, 2018
- Citation
- 18105301
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 18105301.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals were dismissed due to his death during the appeal process.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that there was a pre-decisional duty to assist error and requires additional development, including an addendum VA opinion regarding the Veteran's bilateral foot disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the preexistence and aggravation of foot disabilities during service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a pre-decisional error in not obtaining an addendum or supplemental medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's bilateral foot disability, specifically his pes planus, plantar fasciitis, and hammer toes.
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