The Board has ordered remand for the Veteran to provide service treatment records and obtain a medical opinion regarding his bilateral foot disabilities, including pes planus with arthritis and hammer toes. The examiner should consider the Veteran's statements about in-service foot pain and progression of symptoms.
The deciding factor: The Board requested additional evidence and an examination due to incomplete record and need for clarification on service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral acquired pes planus with arthritis, bilateral foot hammer toes, left foot tarsal tunnel syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 14, 2022
- Citation
- 22014709
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 22014709.
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 Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for higher initial disability ratings for right and left foot tarsal tunnel syndrome due to a duty to assist error. The VA examiners are instructed to provide an opinion regarding the severity of the Veteran's bilateral tarsal tunnel syndrome without considering the ameliorative effects of medication used.
- Granted
The Board granted the Veteran's claim for an allowance for an automobile or other conveyance and adaptive equipment, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran due to his service-connected disabilities that have resulted in the effective loss or permanent loss of use in both lower extremities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for a rating in excess of 40 percent for right foot tarsal tunnel syndrome with right lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy, a rating in excess of 10 percent or left foot tarsal tunnel syndrome with left lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy, and ratings in excess of 30 percent and 20 percent respectively for right rotator cuff tendinitis, AC joint osteoarthritis, and degenerative joint disease, and left rotator cuff tendinitis, AC joint osteoarthritis, and degenerative joint disease.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for the veteran's right and left foot tarsal tunnel syndrome, plantar fasciitis, and metatarsalgia. The decision was based on the evidence showing that the veteran's current foot pain is related to his military service.
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