The Board found that the Veteran's current right foot pes cavus and alcoholic neuropathy were not manifest in service and are unrelated to service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for right foot disability is denied.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's pes cavus with hammertoe deformities was less likely than not caused by service due to lack of evidence in service records and a negative X-ray from 1978. The alcoholic neuropathy was also found unrelated to service due to chronic alcohol abuse being a common cause for this condition.
- Claimed conditions
- right foot pes cavus, alcoholic neuropathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 27, 2014
- Citation
- 1429180
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 1429180.
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 remanded the case due to duty-to-assist errors and insufficient opinions regarding service connection for a bilateral foot condition. The Veteran's preexisting pes planus is not considered aggravated by service, but his current foot conditions are related to his service-connected hip and knee conditions.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ankle degenerative arthritis, right ankle degenerative arthritis, left foot pes cavus, and right foot pes cavus as there is no credible medical evidence establishing a nexus between his current disabilities and his military service.
- Dismissed
The Veteran requested withdrawal of all service connection issues, and the appeal is dismissed.
- Partly granted
The Board granted earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection for right and left foot pes planus, metatarsalgia, and plantar fasciitis, an effective date of April 22, 2020, for the grant of service connection for right and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and a TDIU. However, it denied higher ratings for bilateral cavus and compensable disability ratings for scars.
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.