The Board found that the Veteran's foot disability was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service and may not be presumed to have been so incurred or aggravated. The VA examiner opined that the Veteran's mild pes planus and hallux valgus were most likely the result of age-related degenerative change.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found no evidence of a pre-existing foot disability at the time of entry into service, and there was no in-service documentation of bilateral mild pes planus or hallux valgus. The Veteran's condition is more likely due to age-related degenerative changes rather than military service.
- Claimed conditions
- foot disability, hallux valgus, pes planus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 2, 2013
- Citation
- 1310969
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 1310969.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis, finding that the Veteran's pre-existing pes planus condition was aggravated by service. The effective date is August 15, 2025.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hallux valgus, finding no competent and credible evidence linking her current condition to active service.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis with pes planus, finding that her current condition had its onset during active military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development and the need for a new examination. The appellant's service connection claim for a foot disability is being reviewed.
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