The Board remands the claims for service connection for left ankle, bilateral hammer toe, bilateral plantar fasciitis, and low back conditions to ensure that VA medical examinations are conducted with sufficient detail to provide a fully informed picture of the claimed disabilities.
The deciding factor: Insufficient evidence was provided in the May 2022 VA examinations to determine whether any of the claimed conditions are related to service or aggravated by service, including related to any service-connected disability.
- Claimed conditions
- left ankle sprain condition, left foot, hammer toe condition, right foot, hammer toe condition, bilateral plantar fasciitis (claimed as secondary to hammer toes and left ankle sprain), low back condition
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 8, 2025
- Citation
- A25032468
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 veteran's claims for increased ratings and other benefits, finding that the evidence did not support higher ratings or additional compensation.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection of a low back condition to obtain an adequate medical opinion, as the presumption of soundness has not been rebutted.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for a low back condition, finding that the Veteran's current disability had its clinical onset during his active duty service.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for a low back condition, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.