The Board has granted service connection for left foot strain with hammer toe of the left second toe and assigned a noncompensable initial rating. Service connection was also granted for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and osteoarthritis of the knees, both found to be secondary to active service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner determined that the Appellant's left foot disability is at least as likely as not secondary to his active duty service. The Board applied the appropriate rating criteria for hammer toe and related conditions under DC 5279, resulting in a noncompensable initial rating. Service connection was granted for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and osteoarthritis of the knees based on their relationship to the Appellant's active service.
- Claimed conditions
- Left foot strain with hammer toe of the left second toe, Degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, Osteoarthritis of the knees
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- October 24, 2013
- Citation
- 1333488
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 1333488.
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
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Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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- Granted
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- Remanded (sent back)
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