The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral foot disorder as there was no evidence of an in-service injury or disease, and no competent medical evidence linking the current condition to active service.
The deciding factor: The absence of documented treatment for the claimed foot disorder until several years after separation from active service, combined with the Veteran's failure to report for scheduled examinations, led to a determination that there was no credible evidence supporting a link between the current condition and active service.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral foot disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 24, 2009
- Citation
- 0910956
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for tinea pedis of the left foot and remanded claims for a bilateral foot disorder, cervical disorder, left shoulder disorder, lumbosacral disorder, right shoulder disorder, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, and eardrum disorder.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for a neck disorder, hair loss, PTSD, bilateral foot disorder, bilateral arm numbness, and restless body syndrome due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issues of service connection for a bilateral foot disorder, an acquired psychiatric disorder, a skin disorder, and a sleep disorder, as well as an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for cystitis, due to the need for further development.
- Partly granted
The Board grants service connection for headaches as the evidence supports a direct link to the Veteran's active military service.
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