The Board has restored the 30% evaluation for flat feet, finding that the reduction from 30% to 10% was improper due to a failure to follow proper procedure.
The deciding factor: The RO improperly reduced the veteran's disability evaluation for flat feet without first establishing clear and unmistakable error in the original grant of service connection based on incurrence during service.
- Claimed conditions
- Flat Feet
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- July 13, 2004
- Citation
- 0418612
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 386 · Granted: 25% (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 0418612.
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.
- Denied
PTSD, a back condition, and flat feet were not granted service connection prior to October 22, 2008.,The Veteran's claims for these conditions were submitted after the one-year period following separation from active duty.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a bilateral foot condition and plantar fasciitis, finding that the Veteran's preexisting conditions did not worsen during service and that there is no evidence of in-service injury or disease related to these conditions.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for flat feet, right knee disability (including as secondary to service-connected left knee osteoarthritis), and back disability due to lack of evidence showing a direct relationship between these conditions and service.,Service connection was not granted because the Veteran's current disabilities are not shown to have originated during service or be related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and flat feet due to incomplete records and need for a new VA examination. The Veteran's service connection claims are otherwise granted.
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.