The Board remands the claims for service connection for plantar fasciitis, heel spurs, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and hypertension due to inadequate medical opinions regarding their etiology.
The deciding factor: The opinions provided were based on inaccurate factual premises or did not address all relevant exposures, thus failing to meet VA's duty-to-assist requirements.
- Claimed conditions
- plantar fasciitis, heel spurs, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), hypertension
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 25, 2025
- Citation
- A25054909
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the appeal to obtain a VA medical opinion that considers the Veteran's contentions of in-service training with heavy gear and equipment.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical opinion on whether plantar fasciitis was aggravated by active duty training.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of October 21, 2021, for the grant of service connection for hypertension.
- Dismissed
The appeal for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, service connection for right ear hearing loss, and bilateral vision condition was dismissed. Service connection for hypertension, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease was denied.
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