The Board denied the Veteran's claims for initial ratings higher than 30 percent for bilateral hallux valgus prior to September 23, 2002. The decision found that all of his foot-related symptoms are part and parcel of his service-connected bilateral hallux valgus.
The deciding factor: The VA compensation examiner could not clinically differentiate the signs and symptoms attributable to the bilateral hallux valgus from those attributable to other diagnosed conditions, including pes planus, talonavicular osteoarthritis, tight heel cord, plantar fasciitis, and metatarsalgia. The interaction between these conditions made it impossible to separate their effects on the Veteran's foot function.
- Claimed conditions
- Hallux Valgus of the right foot, Hallux Valgus of the left foot, Pes Planus, Talonavicular Osteoarthritis, Tight Heel Cord, Plantar Fasciitis, Metatarsalgia
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 29, 2010
- Citation
- 1048360
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 1048360.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for OSA, bilateral pes planus, hypertension, migraines headaches, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to a lack of adequate medical evidence regarding their etiology.
- Granted
The Board granted the application to revise an April 2020 rating decision based on clear and unmistakable error (CUE), which severed service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and pes planus.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent for right third toe disability and entitlement to TDIU due to outstanding evidence and further development.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for pes planus, hallux valgus, metatarsalgia, and foot arthritis as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral foot callosities. The Board also granted increased ratings of 30 percent for the callosities on both feet.
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