The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right great toe condition is being reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The issue has been remanded for further development, including an additional VA examination.
The deciding factor: New medical evidence supports a link between the current right great toe disability and service, necessitating further evaluation by VA clinicians.
- Claimed conditions
- hallux rigidus, degenerative joint disease of the first metatarsophalangeal joint
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 31, 2020
- Citation
- 20008084
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 remands the appeal to obtain a VA medical opinion that considers the Veteran's contentions of in-service training with heavy gear and equipment.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right foot conditions, including hallux valgus, hallux rigidus, plantar fasciitis, and midfoot arthritis.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a noncompensable rating for hammer toes, a 10 percent rating for right foot arthritis, and temporary total evaluations for surgery associated with the service-connected conditions. The higher initial disability rating for hallux valgus and hallux rigidus was denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent for right foot deterioration and service connection for secondary right foot disabilities to correct a pre-decisional error by the agency of original jurisdiction.
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