The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current foot condition and his service, including his use of combat boots during active duty.
The deciding factor: The opinion is inadequate because it relies solely on a lack of documented treatment in service or after discharge without considering the Veteran's reported symptoms and their alignment with known medical knowledge.
- Claimed conditions
- pes planus, bilateral foot condition
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 13, 2021
- Citation
- 21021539
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 21021539.
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 Veteran's initial compensable evaluation for hypothyroidism is denied, and the Board finds that service connection for lumbar degenerative disc disease and bilateral foot condition should be remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the claim for service connection of a bilateral foot condition due to lack of STRs and need for further examination.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis, finding that the Veteran's pre-existing pes planus condition was aggravated by service. The effective date is August 15, 2025.
- Granted
The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is granted as secondary to his service-connected neoplasm of the kidney with frequent urination.,Service connection for a left knee condition, an acquired psychiatric disorder (anxiety), and a bilateral foot condition are dismissed.
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