The Veteran's claims for service connection for left foot hammer toe and bilateral knees are remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions, as well as their relationship to his military service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there were pre-decisional duty to assist errors in not providing a VA examination or opinion regarding the Veteran's claims for service connection for left foot hammer toe and bilateral knees. The examiner is required to address whether these conditions are related to service, including toxic exposure risk activities.
- Claimed conditions
- left foot hammer toe, bilateral knee pain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 27, 2026
- Citation
- A26038982
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 A26038982.
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 Veteran withdrew all appeals regarding his service-connected conditions and related disability ratings, effective as of March 16, 2026.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for higher ratings and service connection are being remanded due to scheduling conflicts preventing VA examinations, and the claim for a higher rating based on multiple noncompensable disabilities is inextricably intertwined with other pending claims.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for various knee and leg conditions is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination. The Veteran seeks service connection for adjustment disorder, left knee meniscus tear post-surgery, bilateral lower extremity instability, internal derangement of the left knee, bilateral knee pain, and decreased flexibility of legs.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the AOJ failing to obtain relevant private treatment records from Dr. K.
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