The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 40 percent for DJD of the lumbar spine is dismissed. The Board has reopened his previously denied claim of service connection for pes planus and granted it, finding that the pre-existing condition worsened during military service.
The deciding factor: The November 2011 VA examiner found that the Veteran's pes planus was aggravated beyond its natural progression by his military service due to increased marching and wearing boots without proper arch supports.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) of the lumbar spine, Pes Planus
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- August 10, 2015
- Citation
- 1534017
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1534017.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral pes planus was denied as the evidence did not warrant a higher rating.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's pes planus is rated at 30 percent, the highest rating available for unilateral pes planus.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence, including missing service treatment records and personnel records. The Veteran's periods of active duty for training (ADT) or inactive duty for training (IDT) need to be verified, and additional medical opinions are required based on these records.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's pes planus, left knee lateral meniscus tear, right knee chondromalacia, and left knee chondromalacia were all denied increased ratings. The Veteran was already in receipt of the maximum schedular rating for his left knee lateral meniscus tear.
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