The Board denied compensation benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for status post bilateral bunionectomies, claimed as the result of VA surgical treatment at a VA medical facility due to lack of evidence showing additional disability was not reasonably foreseeable or caused by carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance of fault on part of VA.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's additional disability (neuritis and nerve damage) is a reasonable foreseeable outcome of the surgical procedure performed in 1996, as scar tissue and resultant nerve irritation can be risks of a bilateral bunionectomy.
- Claimed conditions
- Neuritis, Nerve Damage
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 12, 2015
- Citation
- 1525374
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 1525374.
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 claims for a VA medical opinion to determine if the Veteran's service-connected bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy resulted in neuritis and/or neuralgia, and whether separate ratings may be appropriate.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for separate compensable disability ratings for neuritis and/or neuralgia in both lower extremities due to potential overlap with existing spinal stenosis diagnoses.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for PTSD, nerve damage, and increased ratings for anxiety disorder with insomnia and right lower extremity neuropathy. The Veteran was found not to meet the criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD or nerve damage, and his symptoms were deemed insufficient to warrant higher disability ratings.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for neuritis of the left supra-orbital nerve was denied. The Board also found that a separate rating for a neurological impairment of the left arm is not warranted.
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.