The Board has granted service connection for pes planus. However, the remaining claims of service connection for foot disability (other than pes planus), scoliosis, and back pain are remanded due to need for additional development.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's preexisting pes planus was aggravated by his military service, warranting service connection based on aggravation rather than direct incurrence or presumption of injury.
- Claimed conditions
- pes planus (flat feet), bilateral hallux valgus, bunions, hammer toes, right second toe amputation, osteoarthritis of the right great toe
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 26, 2021
- Citation
- 21010939
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 21010939.
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 has determined that the VA examinations are inadequate for rating purposes and thus remands the case to obtain a new examination. The issues include determining whether bilateral hallux valgus and/or acquired pes cavus are secondary to sesamoiditis, whether there is a neurological disability of the right great toe, and whether there was a period of convalescence following the July 2022 sesamoidectomy.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unemployable from performing all forms of substantially gainful employment that are consistent with his education and occupational experience, granting entitlement to TDIU.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate medical opinions regarding his bilateral knee and foot conditions. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions, which are currently found to be related to active duty.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied service connection for allergic rhinitis, hypertension, tinea pedis, bilateral pes planus, and bilateral hallux valgus. The Veteran's claims for PTSD and bilateral sciatica are remanded for further development.
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