The Board has determined that the most recent VA examinations are inadequate and remands for further examination to determine the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities. The claims will be readjudicated after obtaining any outstanding relevant records.
The deciding factor: The Board found the most recent VA examinations insufficient due to a lack of information about flare-ups, which is necessary for evaluating functional loss and disability ratings under the rating criteria.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral pes planus, achilles tendonitis of the left ankle, left foot hammer toes, hallux valgus of the left foot, degenerative arthritis of the left knee, degenerative arthritis of the right knee, right foot hammer toes, chronic mild residual back strain and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 10, 2024
- Citation
- 24015601
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 24015601.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Appellant's requests for earlier effective dates for his service connection for bilateral pes planus and gynecomastia scar residuals, finding that the earliest possible effective dates are the dates of receipt of the claims.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied a compensable rating for the scar of the left knee and remanded the claims for increased ratings for the left ankle disability and TDIU. The case is being returned to the AOJ for further development.
- Denied
The Veteran's hypertension, bilateral pes planus, PTSD, and anxiety were all denied as service connection was not established based on the evidence of record.,Bilateral pes planus was denied due to lack of current diagnosis.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for treatment purposes only under Chapter 17 for various conditions, including cervical spine condition, right upper extremity nerve condition, left upper extremity nerve condition, headache condition, right wrist condition, left wrist condition, right elbow condition, left elbow condition, right shoulder condition, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), bilateral pes planus, right ankle disorder, left ankle disorder, and left knee disorder.
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