The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy in his lower extremities due to a lack of an adequate medical opinion addressing whether the claimed disabilities are caused or aggravated by his service-connected pes planus with plantar fasciitis. The TDIU claim is also being remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the service connection claims.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was a duty to assist error due to the lack of an adequate medical opinion addressing whether the peripheral neuropathy is caused or aggravated by his service-connected pes planus with plantar fasciitis.
- Claimed conditions
- left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, sciatic nerve, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, sciatic nerve, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, external popliteal (common peroneal) nerve, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, external popliteal (common peroneal) nerve, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, musculocutaneous (superficial peroneal) nerve, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, musculocutaneous (superficial peroneal) nerve, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, anterior tibial (deep peroneal) nerve, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, anterior tibial (deep peroneal) nerve, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, internal popliteal (tibial) nerve, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, internal popliteal (tibial) nerve, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, posterior tibial nerve, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, posterior tibial nerve, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, anterior crural (femoral) nerve, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, anterior crural (femoral) nerve, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, internal saphenous nerve, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, internal saphenous nerve, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, obturator nerve, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, obturator nerve, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, external cutaneous nerve, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, external cutaneous nerve, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, ilio-inguinal nerve, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, ilio-inguinal nerve
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 7, 2026
- Citation
- A26031986
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 A26031986.
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 Board dismissed the appeal for earlier effective dates of service connection for various peripheral neuropathies due to a prohibited concurrent election.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for right and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, sciatic nerve, with effective dates of June 8, 2015 and November 19, 2018 respectively. The Board also granted a rating of 40 percent for IVDS with degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine as of March 24, 2022.
- Granted
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection for sciatic radiculopathy and various peripheral neuropathy disabilities have been granted with effective dates set at October 22, 2021. The Veteran also received a combined 100 percent disability rating, qualifying him for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of all issues on appeal.
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