The Board found that the Veteran's disabilities of the feet did not manifest during active service and were not caused or aggravated by an in-service disease, injury, or event. Therefore, service connection for these conditions was denied.
The deciding factor: Service treatment records are negative for injuries to the feet or objective findings of pathology of the feet, and the earliest credible evidence of foot disabilities is from a May 1992 VA examination report showing deformities consistent with bunions and toe deformities. The Veteran's allegations regarding in-service injuries were not supported by available medical evidence.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Foot Hallux Valgus, Left Foot Hallux Valgus, Metatarsalgia, Malunion of Metatarsal Osteotomies, Forefoot Equinus, Arthritis, Peroneal Brevis Tear
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 19, 2012
- Citation
- 1214329
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 1214329.
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 has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error in previous examinations, requiring additional information on right shoulder ROM measurements without medication effects.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for hepatitis C, stomach infection and ulcers as secondary to hepatitis C, and service connection for feet disabilities are being remanded due to pre-decisional errors in obtaining relevant medical records.
- Granted
The Veteran's disability ratings for low back disability and right lower extremity radiculopathy have been reduced from 40% and 10%, respectively, to 20% and 0%. The reduction was based on improvements shown in recent VA examinations.
- Denied
The Veteran's right knee strain with arthritis is currently rated at 10 percent, the maximum allowable rating under Diagnostic Code 5010 prior to February 7, 2021. The Veteran's GERD with hiatal hernia and irritable bowel syndrome is not rated higher than 30 percent.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.