The Board has found that additional development is necessary before the claims for service connection for bilateral foot disability and multiple joint pain can be adjudicated on the merits. The Veteran must be provided with VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of any diagnosed conditions.
The deciding factor: The failure to provide the Veteran with a VA examination constitutes a duty to assist error under which existed at the time of the appealed October 2018 Rating Decision.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral foot disability (plantar fasciitis), multiple joint pain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 15, 2019
- Citation
- A19001906
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 granted service connection for sinusitis and dismissed the appeal for a rating higher than 30 percent for chronic right eye iritis. Other claims for service connection were denied.
- Denied
The Board denied the claims for service connection for bilateral foot disabilities, a right knee disability, and a right elbow disability as there is no evidence of current disabilities or a link to service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions due to toxic exposure during service, as required by the PACT Act.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for a new examination to determine the current nature and severity of the lumbosacral strain, as well as the etiology of the left and right lower extremity nerve pain and bilateral foot disability.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.