The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error, requiring an addendum medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's bilateral flatfoot is related to his service.
The deciding factor: The examiner should address the Veteran's lay statements and the service treatment records in determining if his current bilateral flatfoot onset during service or is otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral flatfoot (pes planus)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 27, 2026
- Citation
- A26039018
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 A26039018.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for bilateral flatfoot (pes planus), left knee disability, right knee disability, psychiatric disability, and erectile dysfunction. The claims are based on direct evidence of a nexus to service.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral pes planus and deviated septum, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability or any increase in severity during service. The Veteran did not provide sufficient medical evidence to support his claims.
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