The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for hammer toes and service connection for arthritis of the toes, finding that he does not have these conditions.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found no evidence of arthritis in any other joint of either foot except for a mild condition involving the PIP joint of the third toe of the left foot, which was related to a previous hammer toe correction surgery during service.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hammer Toes, Arthritis of the PIP joint of the third toe of the left foot
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 18, 2007
- Citation
- 0714964
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 0714964.
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 Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and bilateral hammer toes, finding that the Veteran's conditions had onset in service or are related to his service-connected condition (bilateral pes planus).
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a right shoulder disability, neck condition, bilateral feet bunions, malformed toes, and gastrointestinal disorder. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.
- Granted
The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right foot disability and granted service connection for a urinary system disability. The issues of entitlement to increased ratings for traumatic injury to the left leg and knee, and an initial rating higher than 10 percent for degenerative joint disease of the right knee are remanded.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's headaches are at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected traumatic brain injury, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
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.