The Board has decided to remand the claims for right knee strain, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity (radiculopathy), and left foot pes planus due to inadequate medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran's service treatment records do not indicate a complaint or diagnosis of these conditions during service. A VA examination is needed to determine if there is a relationship between the current diagnoses and service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the available medical opinions were insufficient to decide the claims, as they did not provide clear conclusions with supporting data and reasoned explanations for their findings.
- Claimed conditions
- Right knee strain, Radiculopathy of the left lower extremity (radiculopathy), Left foot pes planus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 31, 2026
- Citation
- A26028735
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 A26028735.
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 Veteran's claim for service connection of a right knee disability, finding that there was no nexus between his current condition and active duty service.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for cervical spine strain, right wrist sprain, right knee strain, left knee strain, and right ankle strain. The disabilities are all deemed to have begun during the Veteran's active duty.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection of a right knee condition due to inadequate VA opinions and incomplete record development regarding his National Guard service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral knee strains with shin splints due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. A new VA examination is required to assess the severity of the Veteran's knee disabilities, including during flare-ups.
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