The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding service connection for left heel spur, and secondary service connection for left heel spur due to gout of the bilateral feet and sciatica of the lower left extremity.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner's opinion is deemed inadequate as it did not consider the Veteran’s reports of continuous foot pain since 2013 and his in-service foot symptoms. The Board requires an addendum opinion addressing direct service connection, secondary service connection for gout of the bilateral feet and sciatica of the lower left extremity, and aggravation of the left heel spur by these conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- left heel spur, gout of the bilateral feet, sciatica of the lower left extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 20, 2020
- Citation
- 20013033
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 20013033.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection on all listed conditions was dismissed due to the untimely filing of a Notice of Disagreement.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including residuals of a right forearm burn, left and right shin splints, chronic disability manifested by right toe numbness, back and right hip disabilities as well as left and right heel spurs. The most probative evidence shows that these conditions were not present during or due to her military service.
- Granted
The Board granted a 30 percent rating for gout of the bilateral feet, but no higher.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for various foot disabilities, including pes planus, plantar fasciitis, Haglund's deformity, neuropathy, and heel spurs of both feet, to obtain additional evidence and a medical examination.
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