The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for pes planus, cervical spine disorder, and lumbar spine disorder. However, further development is needed as the VA examination reports do not provide sufficient information on the etiology of these conditions.
The deciding factor: The VA examination reports did not address the etiology of the Veteran’s claimed disabilities, which was a missing element at the time of the prior rating decision.
- Claimed conditions
- Pes Planus, Cervical Spine Disorder, Lumbar Spine Disorder (Degenerative Arthritis)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 22, 2019
- Citation
- 19130844
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,500 · Granted: 29% (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 19130844.
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 Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral pes planus was denied as the evidence did not warrant a higher rating.
- Granted
The Veteran's pes planus is rated at 30 percent, the highest rating available for unilateral pes planus.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is dismissed as the Veteran was granted service connection effective from the date of his claim.,Service connection for bilateral tinnitus is denied.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, left shoulder disorders, right shoulder disorder, cervical spine disorder, left ankle disorder, allergic rhinitis, and bilateral knee disorders, prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and work history. The Board granted the TDIU claim based on these conditions.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.