The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claim for heel spurs and granted service connection for hammertoes, chronic pain of the toes, and foot scarring. The case is remanded to determine if other diagnosed foot disabilities are related to service.
The deciding factor: Additional evidence was submitted that relates to unestablished facts necessary to substantiate the claims for service connection for a foot disability, including heel spurs, and raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.
- Claimed conditions
- heel spurs, hammertoes, chronic pain of the toes, foot scarring
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 14, 2020
- Citation
- 20003255
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 880 · 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 20003255.
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 determined that the Veteran's initial claims for service connection were not properly considered and remanded to obtain a full copy of her service treatment records. The Veteran was also scheduled for an examination to determine if she had any current bilateral foot disorders, including pes planus, pes cavus, plantar fasciitis, heel spurs, or pain.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's bilateral foot disability, including plantar fasciitis, hammertoes, and pes cavus, is being remanded due to a duty-to-assist error. The VA examination did not address the pre-existing pes cavus upon entry into service and did not provide an adequate rationale for the remaining foot disabilities.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral flat feet (also claimed as heel spurs) is being readjudicated due to new and relevant evidence presented since the December 2019 rating decision. The Board has determined that this matter should be remanded so that the AOJ can consider all available evidence in deciding whether service connection should be granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for heel spurs, toe spur, pes cavus, and plantar fasciitis is remanded due to the AOJ not obtaining an adequate VA medical opinion.
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