The Veteran's bilateral pes planus was documented at the time of his initial enlistment, and there is no evidence indicating that it has been permanently aggravated beyond its natural progression by service. The Board finds that service connection for bilateral pes planus is denied.,Service connection for a low back disorder is remanded due to the need for clarification on whether the in-service complaint had been considered.,Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is remanded because of the need for clarification regarding when the condition was first diagnosed.,Service connection for a sinus disorder and allergic rhinitis are remanded as there is no current diagnosis found during the examinations, and an additional examination is needed to determine if these conditions existed during the appeal period.,Service connection for right carpal tunnel syndrome is remanded due to the need for clarification on whether it is proximately due to or aggravated by a service-connected condition.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is remanded as there are allegations of in-service stressors that have not been verified and require further examination.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's bilateral pes planus was documented at the time of his initial enlistment and there is no evidence indicating it has been permanently aggravated beyond its natural progression by service.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral pes planus, low back disorder, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), sinus disorder, allergic rhinitis, right carpal tunnel syndrome, acquired psychiatric disorder, to include posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 27, 2022
- Citation
- 22004538
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 22004538.
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 Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's lumbar spine pain, allergic rhinitis, and recurrent yeast infections. The claims for service connection for generalized anxiety disorder with alcohol use disorder and left knee pain were remanded.
- Partly granted
The Veteran was granted a 70 percent initial disability rating for PTSD effective December 2, 2021, but the claim for an increased rating in excess of 70 percent was denied. The appeal also included claims for service connection and ratings for various conditions, some of which were granted while others were remanded.
- 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).
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 20 percent disability rating for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy from April 3, 2023 onward, but denied higher ratings prior to that date. Service connection was also granted for alcohol use disorder as secondary to PTSD with traumatic brain injury.
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