The Board denied service connection for bilateral pes planus, finding clear and unmistakable evidence that the condition pre-existed service and was not aggravated by it.
The deciding factor: There is no increase in disability of the Veteran's bilateral pes planus during service, as evidenced by the lack of record of evaluation of foot pain during service and the opinion from the orthopedic surgeon that the Veteran had bilateral pes planus when he entered service.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral pes planus
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 20, 2009
- Citation
- 0906449
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple conditions, including an acquired psychiatric disorder, sleep apnea, hypertension, and various musculoskeletal and skin disabilities.
- Granted
The Board granted a separate rating of 10 percent for bilateral plantar fasciitis effective February 1, 2023.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral pes planus and bilateral ankle disability, finding that the Veteran's preexisting conditions were not aggravated by his military service.
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