The Board remands the claims for service connection for a foot disability, to include gout; atrial fibrillation (A-fib); and carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) due to duty-to-assist errors.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner's opinions were found inadequate as they did not consider lay assertions of onset during service and the claims file was remanded for additional evidence.
- Claimed conditions
- foot disability, to include gout, atrial fibrillation (A-fib), carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 1, 2025
- Citation
- A25040282
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew her appeals for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and a foot disability.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for an eating disorder and remanded the claims for headaches, hair loss, sore gums, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), fatigue, left shoulder disability, right elbow disability, left wrist disability, right wrist disability, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, foot disability, and low back disability for further development.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a foot disability, heart disability, upper digestive disability, and erectile dysfunction as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to the Veteran's active military service.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for hypertension and tinnitus, but denied service connection for depression, chronic ear infections, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), acne, arthritis, heart attack, thyroid disability, right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, catarrhal fever (common cold), foot disability, ventral hernia, dental disability, and a rating in excess of 70 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder with bipolar spectrum disorder prior to January 3, 2025.
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