The Board has determined that additional development is necessary before a decision regarding service connection for the Veteran's bilateral ankle and foot disabilities can be made.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner failed to provide a full rationale as to why the Veteran’s in-service ankle pain was not related to his diagnosed plantar fasciitis, despite noting deformity of the feet with bilateral tenderness to the cuboid bone during service.
- Claimed conditions
- left ankle sinus tarsi syndrome, right ankle sinus tarsi syndrome, peroneal tendon strain, bilateral foot pain (plantar fascitis)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 21, 2018
- Citation
- 18127693
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 18127693.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's left ankle disability has been rated at 10 percent since April 28, 2000. The Board found that the evidence did not show marked limitation of motion during any part of the appeal period and thus denied a higher rating.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inadequate nexus opinions and missing treatment records. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered with new evidence.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right ankle disabilities, including osteochondral injury, sinus tarsi syndrome, and degenerative joint disease (DJD), are related to his in-service fall during ACDUTRA. As such, service connection for these conditions is granted.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's headaches are at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected traumatic brain injury, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
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.