The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left foot pes planus and hallux valgus due to inadequate opinions regarding aggravation of these conditions by his service-connected right knee disability.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners did not adequately consider the different definitions of aggravation in the context of in-service aggravation and secondary service connection, as well as the Veteran's assertions about the nature and severity of his pes planus symptoms.
- Claimed conditions
- left foot pes planus, left foot hallux valgus
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 18, 2021
- Citation
- 21030319
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 21030319.
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 Veteran's appeal for service connection for various conditions including hypoglycemia, sinusitis, left foot pes planus, right foot pes planus, right foot plantar fasciitis, left ankle pain, left hip osteoarthritis, left knee sprain, bradycardia, dry eye, hernia, hypercholesterolemia, and bilateral hearing loss.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their death during the pendency of the appeal. The Board cannot issue a decision on the merits as they have no jurisdiction.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew all appeals regarding his service-connected conditions and related disability ratings, effective as of March 16, 2026.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left foot plantar fasciitis and left foot pes planus due to inadequate examination, failure to consider continuity of symptoms, and need for further medical opinion.
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