The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability and awarded an initial 10 percent rating for bilateral pes planus effective from August 2, 2010.
The deciding factor: The evidence is in relative equipoise as to whether the Veteran's currently diagnosed degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine resulted from injury during his period of SADT from April to November 1988. The collective lay and medical evidence indicates that the Veteran's bilateral pes planus deformity has been manifested by collapse to the medial arch, too-many-toes sign, medial talar bulge on stance and eversion of the heels, plantar fasciitis, metatarsalgia and pain on use of the feet since August 22, 2005.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine, Bilateral pes planus deformity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- February 28, 2013
- Citation
- 1306955
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 1306955.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left ankle and lumbosacral spine disabilities were denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings under applicable VA rating criteria.
- Granted
The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at a 40 percent evaluation, effective from the date of the May 2013 rating decision.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for TDIU as his service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a retrospective medical opinion to assess the severity and manifestations of the Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral spine disability.
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