The Veteran seeks earlier effective dates for increased ratings of her service-connected bilateral pes planus and right foot hallux valgus. The Board finds that the earliest possible effective date for the 50 percent rating for bilateral pes planus is January 8, 2019.,The Veteran's entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for right foot hallux valgus and a separate rating for right foot tendinopathy are remanded due to inadequate VA examination.
The deciding factor: The effective date for the increased rating claim was determined based on the date of receipt of the Intent to File (ITF), which is January 8, 2020. The Board found that it was ascertainable that such a rating was warranted within one year prior to the ITF.,The VA examination did not differentiate between right foot hallux valgus and right foot tendinopathy symptoms, making it difficult to determine their severity and manifestation.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral pes planus, right foot hallux valgus, right foot tendinopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 20, 2026
- Citation
- A26005025
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 A26005025.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Appellant's requests for earlier effective dates for his service connection for bilateral pes planus and gynecomastia scar residuals, finding that the earliest possible effective dates are the dates of receipt of the claims.
- Denied
The Veteran's hypertension, bilateral pes planus, PTSD, and anxiety were all denied as service connection was not established based on the evidence of record.,Bilateral pes planus was denied due to lack of current diagnosis.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for treatment purposes only under Chapter 17 for various conditions, including cervical spine condition, right upper extremity nerve condition, left upper extremity nerve condition, headache condition, right wrist condition, left wrist condition, right elbow condition, left elbow condition, right shoulder condition, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), bilateral pes planus, right ankle disorder, left ankle disorder, and left knee disorder.
- Denied
The Veteran's bilateral pes planus is rated at 30 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The Board denied his claim for a higher rating as his pes planus did not result in pronounced flatfoot with marked pronation, extreme tenderness of plantar surfaces of the feet, or marked inward displacement and severe spasm of the Achilles' tendon on manipulation. For TDIU, the Veteran was granted from March 2, 2019, based on his service-connected disabilities rendering him unable to obtain and follow a substantially gainful occupation.
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