The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error, specifically regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left foot arthritis and avascular necrosis. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions as secondary to his service-connected sesamoiditis and residual scar.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was not an opinion addressing whether the Veteran’s left foot arthritis/avascular necrosis is caused by or aggravated by his service-connected sesamoiditis and residual scar, post bunionectomy. This is a necessary step to determine if service connection can be granted.
- Claimed conditions
- sesamoiditis, avascular necrosis of the left foot
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 17, 2019
- Citation
- A19003635
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 A19003635.
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 appeal is remanded to the RO for further development and adjudication of the veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral foot disability.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for right lower extremity sciatica associated with the Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral spine strain, but remanded claims for service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and sleep apnea.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his lung cancer was related to his service-connected melanoma.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for anxiety but denied it for sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's sleep apnea was less likely than not related to his active service or service-connected acquired psychiatric condition.
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