The Board denied a compensable rating for the Veteran's headache disability and remanded claims for service connection for a heart disorder, syncope, and pes planus.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show characteristic prostrating attacks of migraine headaches occurring on average once every two months over the last several months. The Board found that pre-decisional duty to assist error was committed because the VA medical opinion of record is inadequate for the heart disorder claim, and appropriate VA examinations were not conducted for syncope and pes planus.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral pes planus, Headache disability, Heart disorder (paroxysmal atrial fibrillation), Syncope
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 19, 2025
- Citation
- A25100581
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,948 · Granted: 29% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation A25100581.
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 has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral pes planus is not service-connected due to a duty-to-assist error, and remands the case for further examination and opinion.
- Granted
The Veteran's headache disability is granted as service-connected. The left foot condition and lung cancer claims are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for SMC(o) was denied as he could not receive multiple awards of SMC(l). The right shoulder bicipital tendonitis rating was denied, and the TDIU claim was granted.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral pes planus preexisted service and was aggravated by service, warranting a grant of service connection.
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