The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral foot and ankle disabilities due to incomplete STRs, inadequate medical opinion, and need for further investigation.
The deciding factor: The decision is based on the need to obtain missing STRs and a proper VA medical opinion that addresses the etiology of the Veteran’s current foot and ankle conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral pes planus, left tibialis tenosynovitis, right distal fibular fracture with residual tendonitis, bilateral osteonecrosis of the navicular, plantar fasciitis, healed right distal fibular fracture with residual tendonitis, bilateral anterior talofibular ligament tears, degenerative joint disease of the bilateral ankles
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 13, 2020
- Citation
- 20066182
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 claim for a medical opinion on whether plantar fasciitis was aggravated by active duty training.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple conditions, including an acquired psychiatric disorder, sleep apnea, hypertension, and various musculoskeletal and skin disabilities.
- Granted
The Board granted a separate rating of 10 percent for bilateral plantar fasciitis effective February 1, 2023.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.