The Board denied service connection for bilateral pes planus and denied initial disability ratings in excess of 10 percent for degenerative arthritis of L5, S1 with mild retrolisthesis, as well as noncompensable ratings for shin splints of the right and left legs, residuals of a left ankle fracture, and bilateral plantar fasciitis.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show that the Veteran's conditions were related to his service or caused by any service-connected condition.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral pes planus, degenerative arthritis of L5, S1 with mild retrolisthesis, shin splints of the right leg, with history of stress fracture and enchondroma, shin splints of the left leg, with history of stress fracture, residuals of a left ankle fracture, bilateral plantar fasciitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 18, 2009
- Citation
- 0910010
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an initial rating of 70 percent for the Veteran's service-connected depressive disorder due to another medical condition with depressive features and generalized anxiety disorder, denied a higher rating for his migraine including migraine variants, and denied ratings for other conditions.
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