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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation A26031986.