The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an increased evaluation and effective date due to incomplete development of the record, including a lack of recent VA examination.
The deciding factor: Incomplete development of the medical evidence and need for additional examinations are identified as reasons for remanding the case.
- Claimed conditions
- posterior tibial tendon dysfunction (PTTD) with arthritis, status post-surgery right foot with post-operative infection, pes planus of the right foot
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 23, 2020
- Citation
- 20028467
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 20028467.
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 Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is warranted due to incomplete medical examination.,The VA examiner concluded that the cervical spine disability was less likely than not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected lumbar spine disability. The Board finds this opinion inadequate as it did not address whether the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine is a congenital defect and if so, whether there was aggravation during service.,The VA examiner noted that the Veteran's pes planus is a congenital condition and concluded that it is an incidental finding with no symptoms related to his service. The Board finds this opinion inadequate as it did not address whether the pes planus is a congenital defect or disease, nor if there was aggravation during service.,The Veteran seeks service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, obesity, and CKD. No specific issues are listed regarding these conditions in the decision summary.,The Veteran's hypertension is not addressed in the decision summary.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae, a bilateral hearing loss disability, and pes planus of both feet. The lumbar spine claim was remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for pes planus of the left foot and a rating in excess of 20 percent for pes planus of the right foot due to an inadequate VA examination.
- Granted
The Board has reinstated the prior ratings for radiculopathy of the right upper extremity, left upper extremity, cervical strain with IVDS, and pes planus of the right foot due to a lack of evidence showing improvement in symptoms.
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