The Board has granted service connection for low back and left foot disorders, finding that the current conditions were aggravated by the service-connected right foot disabilities.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner's opinion was based on an inaccurate factual assumption regarding gait abnormalities caused only by the service-connected right foot disabilities. Other medical evidence supports a link between the service-connected right foot disabilities and the current low back and left foot disorders.
- Claimed conditions
- low back degenerative joint disease, left foot hallux valgus (bunion)
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 0%
- Decision date
- July 6, 2017
- Citation
- 1725723
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 1725723.
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
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, cervical stenosis of the spine, acid reflux, erectile dysfunction, and chronic hemorrhoids. The remaining claims for degenerative joint disease in various parts of the body were remanded for further development.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected low back degenerative joint disease, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, and posttraumatic stress disorder prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment from July 19, 2004 to October 10, 2004. The Board granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis for this period.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the left foot condition and dismissed the appeal as to TDIU prior to August 7, 2017 due to lack of evidence showing the Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back degenerative joint disease is related to his service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
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