The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's hammer toe and his military service. The Veteran will need a new medical examination to provide an adequate rationale for their conclusion.
The deciding factor: The previous medical opinion relied on the absence of medical documentation, which is insufficient to support a negative nexus opinion.
- Claimed conditions
- hammer toe
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- August 28, 2020
- Citation
- 20057004
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 20057004.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for several conditions, including OSA, cervical spine condition, left shoulder condition, right shoulder condition, and others, but dismissed appeals for obesity, TMJ, insomnia, left elbow, and right elbow. The Board also denied an earlier effective date for a 70% rating for acquired psychiatric disorder.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and a new oneVA foot conditions examination is needed to determine the severity of the Veteran's service-connected right foot monoarticular inflammation.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for a bilateral foot disability, including pes planus, hammer toe, and arthritis, finding that the Veteran's condition did not have an onset in service or manifest within one year of discharge. The Board also determined that the current bilateral foot disability was not caused by or aggravated by his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral foot disability, including hammer toe, painful scars, plantar fasciitis, and foot cramping, finding that the Veteran's current condition is at least as likely as not incurred in or caused by her military service.
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