The Board has granted service connection for bilateral foot pain (pes planus) and bilateral ankle pain. The issue of service connection for upper extremity joint pain, including left shoulder, right shoulder, and right wrist conditions, is remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's upper extremity joint pain may be related to his service-connected back disability but further examination and opinion are needed to determine causation or aggravation.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Foot Pain, Bilateral Ankle Pain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 21, 2021
- Citation
- 21064712
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 21064712.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for SMC based on aid and attendance was granted, but the AOJ severed this benefit due to a scheduling error. The Board has now restored the entitlement.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral foot pain, finding that her pre-existing pes planus did not worsen beyond its natural progression during service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for PTSD, sleep apnea, and bilateral foot conditions are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and bilateral foot pain due to inadequate examination findings, conflicting descriptions of in-service surgery, and need for additional medical records. The Veteran is currently unrepresented.
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