The Board has granted service connection for residuals of a left heel fracture, but the issues regarding pes planus and plantar fasciitis are remanded due to unclear causal relationships.
The deciding factor: Service connection is established as the evidence is in equipoise that the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability caused his July 2011 fall resulting in the heel fracture. However, the relationship of pes planus and plantar fasciitis remains unclear.
- Claimed conditions
- residuals of a heel fracture of the left foot, pes planus of the left foot, plantar fasciitis of the left foot
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- August 14, 2023
- Citation
- 23044914
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 23044914.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
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: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including ratings for his feet and knees, as well as a new rating for his right hip disability. The SMC claim is also being remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's service-connected bilateral pes planus, metatarsalgia of both feet, plantar fasciitis of both feet, and neuropathy of both feet have been granted effective July 14, 2014. The Veteran also received a separate rating for hammertoes of the right foot (10%) and left foot (10%), as well as arthritis of the first MTP joint of the right and left foot (10%).
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for allergic rhinitis and migraine headaches, but denied all other claims due to lack of evidence meeting VA standards for a current disability.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is warranted due to incomplete medical examination.,The VA examiner concluded that the cervical spine disability was less likely than not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected lumbar spine disability. The Board finds this opinion inadequate as it did not address whether the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine is a congenital defect and if so, whether there was aggravation during service.,The VA examiner noted that the Veteran's pes planus is a congenital condition and concluded that it is an incidental finding with no symptoms related to his service. The Board finds this opinion inadequate as it did not address whether the pes planus is a congenital defect or disease, nor if there was aggravation during service.,The Veteran seeks service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, obesity, and CKD. No specific issues are listed regarding these conditions in the decision summary.,The Veteran's hypertension is not addressed in the decision summary.
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