The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar disc disease warrants a 20 percent rating from April 18, 2011 to February 24, 2015. For periods prior to and after this date, the disability does not warrant an increased rating. The service connection claim for a foot disability is denied.
The deciding factor: The January 2010 VA examination did not consider the pre-existing bilateral pes planus at enlistment, which could have been aggravated by service.
- Claimed conditions
- Lumbar Disc Disease, Foot Disability (Pes Planus)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 22, 2017
- Citation
- 1759913
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1759913.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
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: Granted
The Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, lumbar disc disease, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, bilateral knee strains, residuals of a left ankle concussion, and bilateral pes cavus are found to be related to his obstructive sleep apnea. His claim for restoration of a 30 percent evaluation for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine is granted.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's PTSD, sleep apnea, hypertension, right MCA stroke with left-sided hemiplegia and major neurocognitive impairment, headaches, left ankle sprain, cervical sprain, and lumbar disc disease are all granted as secondary to service-connected conditions.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found the reduction in rating for spinal stenosis, lumbar disc disease, and Schmorl's nodes from 20% to 10% was improper. The 20% rating is restored. However, the issues of increased ratings for left and right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy and ankle conditions are remanded due to a duty to assist error.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has determined that the evidence is at least in equipoise, and therefore grants service connection for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) as secondary to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other service-connected conditions such as lumbar disc disease, right lower extremity radiculopathy, obstructive lung disease, and gastroesophageal reflux.
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