The Veteran's current bilateral foot disabilities are related to his service, including complaints of foot pain in service. However, the Board finds that the preexisting pes planus underwent an increase in severity during his active duty service and was not clearly and unmistakably due to the normal progression of the disability.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's current bilateral foot disabilities are related to his service, including complaints of foot pain in service. However, the preexisting pes planus underwent an increase in severity during his active duty service and was not clearly and unmistakable due to the normal progression of the disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Pes planus, Hammertoe deformities, Mild degenerative joint disease, Marked hallux valgus with associated bunion formation
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 1, 2018
- Citation
- 1812853
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 1812853.
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 Board denied the appellant's claim for an increased rating for pes planus of the left foot as he failed to report for a necessary VA examination without good cause.
- Denied
The Board found no evidence of a current bilateral foot pain disorder related to service and denied the claim.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's GERD is granted service connection. The claims for pes planus, plantar fasciitis, and obstructive sleep apnea are remanded due to inadequate VA examinations. The PTSD rating is also remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has granted service connection for right knee injury pain. The claims of service connection for sleep apnea and pes planus are remanded due to the need for a VA examination considering toxic exposure risk activities.
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