The Veteran's service-connected bilateral foot disabilities are being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his conditions, as there are no relevant contemporaneous medical records documenting their current severity.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that the Veteran's claims must be remanded due to the lack of recent medical evidence to support the current evaluations and to allow for a proper assessment of his disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- right foot hallux valgus, left foot hallux valgus, right foot metatarsalgia, left foot metatarsalgia, right foot hammertoe, left foot hammertoe
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 29, 2019
- Citation
- 19182011
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 denied increased ratings for the Veteran's back, right ring finger, and left foot hallux valgus disabilities but granted an initial 30 percent rating for pes planus from August 17, 2021, a 50 percent rating for pes planus from December 15, 2023, and a separate 10 percent rating for bilateral plantar fasciitis from August 17, 2021.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for a left hip disability and remanded claims for right foot hallux valgus, left foot hallux valgus, right hip disability, and right shoulder disability due to inadequate medical opinions.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and denied increased ratings for sleep apnea, left ankle scar, painful left ankle scar, acquired psychiatric disability (major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder), left foot metatarsalgia, and right knee limitation of flexion. The Board granted a 20 percent rating for left foot neuropathy and 20 percent rating for right knee limitation of extension.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for left foot plantar fasciitis, right foot hallux valgus, and left foot hallux valgus. Service connection was also granted for the low back condition and a right shoulder condition. However, the claims for a neck condition and right hip condition were denied.
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