The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral pes planus, left ankle stress fracture, right ankle stress fracture, left leg shin splints, and right leg shin splints to provide the Veteran with adequate VA examinations.
The deciding factor: The March 2024 VA examinations were found inadequate as they relied on the absence of symptoms after service without thoroughly addressing the Veteran's statements regarding his in-service symptoms and post-service pain.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral pes planus, left ankle stress fracture, right ankle stress fracture, left leg shin splints, right leg shin splints
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 6, 2025
- Citation
- A25040981
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 the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple conditions, including an acquired psychiatric disorder, sleep apnea, hypertension, and various musculoskeletal and skin disabilities.
- Granted
The Board granted a separate rating of 10 percent for bilateral plantar fasciitis effective February 1, 2023.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral pes planus and bilateral ankle disability, finding that the Veteran's preexisting conditions were not aggravated by his military service.
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