The Board has decided to remand the case due to conflicting diagnoses and a need for further medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's left foot disability, including heel spur and fibromatosis, is caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the Veteran had different diagnoses (plantar fasciitis vs. heel spur) and provided a negative nexus opinion, necessitating further medical evaluation to clarify the relationship between the conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- left heel spur, left plantar fascial fibromatosis
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 12, 2020
- Citation
- 20072875
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 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 30 percent for service-connected bilateral flatfoot with plantar fasciitis and left heel spur, as well as entitlement to TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for GERD, finding it secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar strain and left heel spur conditions due to chronic NSAID use.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for the veteran's right ankle condition as secondary to other service-connected conditions.
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