The Board denied increased ratings for bilateral pes planus, left knee chondromalacia, and right knee chondromalacia as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under applicable VA regulations.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence showed that the veteran's bilateral pes planus was manifested by marked deformity and pain on manipulation without objective evidence of pronounced disability with marked pronation, extreme tenderness of plantar surfaces of the feet, or severe spasm of the Achilles tendon. The left knee chondromalacia did not meet criteria for a higher rating as there was no severe impairment of the knee with recurrent subluxation or lateral instability. Right knee chondromalacia also did not meet criteria for a higher rating.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral pes planus, chondromalacia of the left knee, chondromalacia of the right knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 22, 2001
- Citation
- 0105452
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 0105452.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple conditions, including an acquired psychiatric disorder, sleep apnea, hypertension, and various musculoskeletal and skin disabilities.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral pes planus based on aggravation of a preexisting disability, but denied service connection for right and left knee disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral pes planus, anemia, and gastritis as the conditions were not shown to be related to or aggravated by service.
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