The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical disc disease as secondary to hallux rigidus and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The case will be returned for further development, including an addendum VA examination regarding the relationship between the conditions and a VA examination assessing the impact of his combined disabilities on employment.
The deciding factor: The Board found that additional development is necessary as there was insufficient information in the previous examination report to address both causation and aggravation of the nonservice-connected cervical disc disease by the service-connected hallux rigidus. The TDIU claim may also be affected by a potential grant of secondary service connection for cervical disc disease.
- Claimed conditions
- cervical disc disease, hallux rigidus
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 10, 2019
- Citation
- 19102668
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,677 · Granted: 26% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19102668.
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 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 an internal inconsistency in a June 2022 examination report, which inadequately addressed the Veteran's left foot condition. The Veteran needs to be examined again to assess his functional loss during flare-ups and with repetitive use over time.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for hallux limitus, left foot post cheilectomy first metatarsophalangeal joint claimed as left foot, big toe degenerative arthritis and left foot, big toe disability. The evidence shows the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not incurred in or caused by his military service.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for bilateral foot condition, including pes planus, hallux rigidus, plantar fasciitis, hammertoes, and arthritis. The Veteran's preexisting pes planus was aggravated by his military service.
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