The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection of right and left foot DJD due to insufficient evidence in the record regarding the etiology of the Veteran's current bilateral foot arthritis.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner did not specifically address the Veteran's lay assertions that his bilateral foot pain began during active service and had worsened since, nor did they consider the Veteran's statements about weight transfer from heels to small joints causing arthritis in his toes.
- Claimed conditions
- right foot degenerative joint disease (DJD), left foot DJD
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 2, 2021
- Citation
- 21072368
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 21072368.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disorders, including lumbar spine DJD and bilateral knee DJD, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since May 12, 2006. Effective dates for TDIU and DEA are granted as of that date.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for bilateral foot, hip, and right shoulder DJD. The decision is based on the Veteran's consistent reports of symptoms since separation from service.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral foot conditions other than gout and trench foot, finding that there is no evidence to support a causal relationship between his current foot conditions and his active duty service.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of his right foot DJD, finding that there was no evidence linking it to his active-duty service or as secondary to a service-connected disability.
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