The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral feet disorders and ankle strains are being remanded due to inadequate VA examination opinions. The examiner is asked to provide a response regarding the nature and etiology of her disabilities, including whether they are related to in-service activities.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners did not consider all relevant evidence, particularly the May 2016 Technical Information Paper from the Army Public Health Center with regard to injuries associated with Army foot marching and load-carriage activities submitted by the Veteran.
- Claimed conditions
- pes planus, plantar fasciitis, right ankle strain, left ankle strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 30, 2023
- Citation
- 23047738
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 23047738.
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 remanded several service connection claims due to the need for additional medical records and examinations.,Service connection is denied for tinnitus.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis, finding that the Veteran's pre-existing pes planus condition was aggravated by service. The effective date is August 15, 2025.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ankle strain and right foot condition, finding no current disability related to service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for athletes' foot, low back strain, and plantar fasciitis due to a lack of a VA examination prior to the August 2020 rating decision.
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