The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral pes planus, hammer toes, tailor's bunion, and inferior calcaneal exostosis as well as posterior calcaneal exostosis of the left foot and a compensable evaluation for difficulty breathing due to deficiencies in the record.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner's opinion did not adequately address the Veteran's lay statements of in-service injuries and there was no objective evidence to support a diagnosis of respiratory disability, necessitating additional development.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral pes planus, hammer toes, tailor's bunion, and inferior calcaneal exostosis as well as posterior calcaneal exostosis of the left foot, difficulty breathing
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 10, 2025
- Citation
- A25051076
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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