The Board has ordered new VA medical opinions for the issues of service connection for Morton's neuroma and degenerative joint disease of the spine, both secondary to service-connected bilateral pes planus. The remand is due to inadequate previous opinions.
The deciding factor: Previous opinions were found to be insufficient and lacked clear conclusions with supporting data and a reasoned medical explanation connecting the two conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Morton's neuroma, degenerative joint disease of the spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 23, 2021
- Citation
- 21070087
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 21070087.
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 appeal is remanded due to the need for a complete record, including an evaluation of his service-connected foot disabilities and their current severity.
- Dismissed
The appeal is dismissed because the issue of service connection for Morton's neuroma has not been adjudicated by the AOJ in the first instance.
- Denied
The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity Morton's neuroma conditions are rated at the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent, and there is no evidence of associated peripheral nerve disability that would warrant a higher rating.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, but the spine and TDIU issues remain pending as they are intertwined with the hypertension issue.
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