The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical radiculopathy of the left upper extremity, left foot achilles tendonitis, left foot plantar fasciitis, and right foot metatarsalgia due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their onset during service or relationship to service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that VA examiners did not adequately consider the Veteran's lay statements about her conditions' onsets and relied solely on a lack of evidence in records to provide negative opinions, thus requiring new examinations and opinions.
- Claimed conditions
- cervical radiculopathy of the left upper extremity, left foot achilles tendonitis, left foot plantar fasciitis, right foot metatarsalgia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 28, 2024
- Citation
- 24013319
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 24013319.
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 determined that the claims for increased rating and service connection must be remanded due to inadequate examinations and duty-to-assist errors.
- Granted
The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been granted. The initial rating of 10 percent, but not higher, has been assigned for pulmonary sarcoidosis. Service connection has also been established for migraine headaches, degenerative arthritis in the left knee, right knee disorder (osteoarthritis), right ankle sprain, right shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis, bilateral flat feet, and various foot conditions.
- Granted
The Veteran's migraine headaches are rated at 50% and cannot be increased.,SMC at the housebound rate is granted from January 11, 2021 due to multiple service-connected disabilities.,A TDIU rating effective October 28, 2011 is granted based on inability to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to migraine headaches.,Eligibility for DEA benefits is granted but no earlier than the date of claim (April 5, 1999).
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for basic eligibility for VA home loan guaranty benefits was denied as she did not meet the criteria for an exception to the total service duration requirement, and her discharge from active duty was due to personal reasons unrelated to a service-connected disability.
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.