The Veteran's claims for increased rating and secondary service connection are remanded due to inadequate examination findings. Additional VA examinations are needed to assess the severity of his right foot disability, including any nerve impairment, and to determine if his neuroma is related to his service-connected fractures.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the previous examinations did not adequately address the Veteran's symptoms and lack sufficient information regarding the overall severity of his disability. Therefore, additional evaluations are needed.
- Claimed conditions
- residuals of fractured fourth and fifth toes of the right foot, right foot neuroma, sharp burning pain, tingling, and numbness in the right foot
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 26, 2020
- Citation
- 20021543
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 20021543.
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 remanded the case for further development due to an inadequate VA examination, and no specific rating assigned or effective date provided.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU and DEA was denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the schedular requirements for TDIU prior to June 21, 2011, but his unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is supported by evidence of record. The case is remanded for further consideration.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for neck, right shoulder, and right foot neuroma disorders. The Veteran's diabetes mellitus was not linked to his active service due to lack of exposure to herbicide agents.,Service connection for coronary artery disease was also denied as the Veteran did not have any service-connected disabilities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the case for further development, including an orthopedic and neurological examination to distinguish symptoms associated with a right foot neuroma from those of his service-connected pes planus and degenerative changes of the right foot.
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