The Veteran's right foot metatarsalgia with degenerative arthritis is rated at a 20 percent disability rating, but no higher. The Board has also remanded the issues of service connection for back and left sciatic nerve radiculopathy as secondary to his right foot disability.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the Veteran's symptoms were not consistent with severe disability, thus a higher rating is not warranted.
- Claimed conditions
- Right foot metatarsalgia with degenerative arthritis, Degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, Scoliosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- January 22, 2019
- Citation
- 19104853
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 a higher initial rating of 40 percent for degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc disease, lumbosacral strain, and scoliosis, but remanded the other issues.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, right and left lower extremity neurological disorders, and right and left hip disabilities as they were not shown to be caused or aggravated by the Veteran's service or a service-connected disability.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an initial evaluation of 20 percent for degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine prior to December 28, 2010, and denied a rating in excess of 40 percent as of that date.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an earlier effective date of September 14, 2018, for the award of a 40 percent disability rating for service-connected degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine but denied entitlement to TDIU.
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