The Board has granted service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome of the right upper extremity. The issues of entitlement to service connection for a non-neurological disability of the right foot and an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for a psychiatric disability are remanded, as is the issue of TDIU due to the interrelated nature of these claims.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's lay reports of onset of carpal tunnel syndrome symptomatology during service were the most probative evidence regarding its etiology and that the disability began during service. The issues of right foot disabilities, psychiatric disability rating, and TDIU are remanded as they may significantly impact these decisions.
- Claimed conditions
- Carpal tunnel syndrome, Metatarsalgia, Onychomycosis, Plantar fasciitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 5, 2021
- Citation
- 21067814
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 21067814.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not render him so helpless as to be in need of regular aid and attendance, thus his claim for special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance is denied.
- Partly granted
The Board has granted service connection for allergic rhinitis and dismissed the proposed severance of service connection for plantar fasciitis. The Veteran's current allergic rhinitis is considered to have started during his period of active duty for training.
- Denied
The Board found no evidence of a current bilateral foot pain disorder related to service and denied the claim.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for hepatitis C, stomach infection and ulcers as secondary to hepatitis C, and service connection for feet disabilities are being remanded due to pre-decisional errors in obtaining relevant medical records.
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