The Board has granted service connection for a low back disorder and shin splints, and awarded a 50% evaluation for bilateral pes planus. Service connection was denied for gout and residuals of a right foot fracture.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the veteran's current low back disability began in service and his shin splints are related to overuse during service.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Changes of the Left and Right Knees (Arthritis), Gout, Low Back Disorder, Residuals of Right Foot Fracture, Shin Splints
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- May 23, 2003
- Citation
- 0309915
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,419 · Granted: 21% (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 0309915.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's right and left knee strains, as well as shin splints, were granted increased ratings. The Veteran also received special monthly compensation at the housebound rate from October 25, 2017 to March 11, 2024.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings and effective dates related to CVA, obstructive sleep apnea, major depressive disorder, and gout have been dismissed.,The Veteran withdrew his claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for a CVA with residuals, an effective date prior to January 14, 2011, for CVA, an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for obstructive sleep apnea, and an effective date prior to November 7, 2014, for obstructive sleep apnea.
- Remanded (sent back)
The reduction of the disability rating for headaches from 50% to 30% is not proper and is void ab initio. Effective dates are denied for various service connection claims.,Multiple issues related to initial disability ratings, effective dates, and earlier effective dates for higher ratings are remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain a medical examination for his sleep apnea claim. The right knee disability rating issue remains denied.
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