The Board finds that the veteran's service-connected bilateral pes cavus does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence does not show any period during which the veteran's service-connected bilateral pes cavus was manifest by dorsiflexed great toe, with some limitation of dorsiflexion at the ankle, and with definite tenderness under metatarsal heads bilaterally.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Pes Cavus, Degenerative Changes of the Lumbar Spine, Lymphedema of the Left Leg, Lymphedema of the Right Leg
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 6, 2003
- Citation
- 0302326
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,464 · Granted: 14% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 0302326.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, lumbar disc disease, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, bilateral knee strains, residuals of a left ankle concussion, and bilateral pes cavus are found to be related to his obstructive sleep apnea. His claim for restoration of a 30 percent evaluation for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine is granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions and a need for further examination. The issues are related to an acquired psychiatric disability, specifically generalized anxiety disorder, and a bilateral foot condition.
- Denied
The Veteran's right shoulder strain, bilateral pes cavus, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are all rated at the maximum allowable under their respective diagnostic codes. The Board denied his claims for increased ratings as they do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
- Granted
The Board has granted earlier effective dates for the Veteran's MDD and lumbar spine disability ratings, as well as his TDIU eligibility. The Veteran's claims are now effective as of March 15, 2012.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.