The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for bilateral foot disorders. The Board finds it at least as likely as not that these conditions are related to the appellant's military service.
The deciding factor: A VHA medical expert concluded that the appellant's hallux valgus (bunions), hammertoes, paronychia, ingrown toenails and peripheral neuropathy were most likely caused by the wearing of poorly fitting boots in the Army. The reviewer also noted a possible connection to exposure to cold temperatures while in Korea.
- Claimed conditions
- hallux valgus (bunions), hammertoes, paronychia, ingrown toenails, peripheral neuropathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 23, 2003
- Citation
- 0317132
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 0317132.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's spouse is seeking to be substituted as the appellant for claims of service connection filed by the Veteran in August 2017. The AOJ has not yet determined whether she meets the requirements to substitute, and this issue must be remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, and peripheral neuropathy due to a duty to assist error in failing to obtain relevant exposure information. The AOJ is instructed to conduct additional development as outlined in the decision.
- Granted
The Veteran was granted an effective date of May 15, 2023 for his total disability due to individual unemployability (TDIU) based on his service-connected disabilities.
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