The Board has remanded the cases due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's service-connected left heel fracture and its residuals, including any plantar calcaneal spur and degenerative changes in the first MTP joint.
The deciding factor: The examiner failed to provide rationale regarding the relationship between the Veteran’s current heel pain and his service-connected left heel fracture and/or a continuation of this disability.
- Claimed conditions
- left heel fracture, plantar calcaneal spur, degenerative changes in the first MTP joint
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 20, 2020
- Citation
- 20074590
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,500 · Granted: 29% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 20074590.
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.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the Veteran's death, and no one has requested substitution for the Veteran.
- Granted
The Veteran's bilateral foot disability and right ankle disability are granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is also granted as service-connected.
- Denied
The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied as his service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected right foot condition, including arthritis, mid-foot fusion, hammertoe with fusion, pes planus, and calcaneal spur, is granted. Additionally, the surgical scar of the right foot is also granted.
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