The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral foot conditions due to a duty-to-assist error.
The deciding factor: There was an omission of a VA opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's diagnosed bilateral foot conditions, including bilateral flat foot (pes planus) and bilateral calcaneal (heel) spurs.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral flat foot (pes planus), bilateral calcaneal (heel) spurs
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 26, 2023
- Citation
- A23037380
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 A23037380.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral flat foot (pes planus) with hallux valgus has been dismissed as the Veteran requested withdrawal of his appeal.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the VA examination and medical opinions are inadequate, and thus remands the case for further development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral flat foot, left ankle sprain, and right ankle condition due to errors in obtaining adequate medical opinions regarding the onset and relationship of these conditions to service.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral flat feet, plantar fasciitis and hallux valgus, hearing loss, psychiatric disabilities, nerve damage, eye disability, and IBS. The decision found that there was no evidence of permanent aggravation of preexisting conditions during service.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.