The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis, bilateral pes planus, lumbosacral strain, left knee strain, and right knee strain, post operative lateral and medial meniscus tear due to inadequate VA examination opinions.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner's opinions did not adequately address the Veteran's belief that his disabilities began during service as a result of running on the pavement in military boots for physical training and carrying a backpack on long road marches.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral plantar fasciitis, bilateral pes planus, lumbosacral strain, left knee strain, right knee strain, post operative lateral and medial meniscus tear
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 7, 2024
- Citation
- A24063956
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for left knee strain, right knee strain, right wrist strain, and TBI. The Veteran's PTSD rating was remanded for further development.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, finding that the Veteran's low back injury occurred during a period of active duty for training (ADT) and continued therefrom.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Remanded (sent back)
The appeal is remanded to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors, including the failure to obtain relevant treatment records and provide adequate VA examinations.
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