The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hammer toes, pes cavus, hallux valgus, and foot calluses. The examiner found that the Veteran's conditions were more likely than not caused by his congenital pes cavus and natural aging, and not aggravated by military service.
The deciding factor: The Board determined there was no clear and unmistakable evidence of aggravation during service, as the underlying pathology associated with the foot disabilities did not increase in severity during service.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hammer Toes, Bilateral Pes Cavus
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 29, 2010
- Citation
- 1040675
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 1040675.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, lumbar disc disease, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, bilateral knee strains, residuals of a left ankle concussion, and bilateral pes cavus are found to be related to his obstructive sleep apnea. His claim for restoration of a 30 percent evaluation for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine is granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions and a need for further examination. The issues are related to an acquired psychiatric disability, specifically generalized anxiety disorder, and a bilateral foot condition.
- Denied
The Veteran's right shoulder strain, bilateral pes cavus, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are all rated at the maximum allowable under their respective diagnostic codes. The Board denied his claims for increased ratings as they do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and MDD, rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to February 11, 2020.
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