The Board remands the claim for service connection for bilateral pes planus to ensure substantial compliance with previous directives, including obtaining an addendum opinion that addresses the Veteran's theory of entitlement related to her in-service motor vehicle accident.
The deciding factor: The March 2020 VA examination and Dr. S.J.'s letter are deemed inadequate due to their failure to provide a thorough medical explanation connecting the pes planus and service, and the examiner's opinion is based solely on the lack of documentation without considering all theories of entitlement.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral pes planus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 6, 2021
- Citation
- 21062037
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 Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple conditions, including an acquired psychiatric disorder, sleep apnea, hypertension, and various musculoskeletal and skin disabilities.
- Granted
The Board granted a separate rating of 10 percent for bilateral plantar fasciitis effective February 1, 2023.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral pes planus and bilateral ankle disability, finding that the Veteran's preexisting conditions were not aggravated by his military service.
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