The Board found no evidence to support the veteran's claim that his current right foot disability, which was first documented many years after service, is related in any way to service, including as being due to frostbite. As such, the claim for service connection was denied.
The deciding factor: The VA physician concluded it was not likely that the veteran's foot condition was due to cold exposure injury in service, but rather, due to his poorly controlled diabetes mellitus.
- Claimed conditions
- Right foot disability, Frostbite
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 4, 2002
- Citation
- 0213648
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0213648.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's right and left foot disabilities are currently rated at 10 percent each, but the Board found that they do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for a right foot disability and an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee, right knee, and low back disabilities have been granted.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's claim for earlier effective date for service connection of Raynaud's syndrome associated with frostbite is denied. The Board found that the issue was not reasonably raised at the time of the December 1986 rating decision.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to errors in duty to assist and incomplete medical opinions. The right foot disability claim is being addressed, including considering a congenital defect theory of entitlement.
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