The Veteran's claim for service connection for an abdominal muscle disorder was denied. The claims of increased ratings for lumbar spine DDD and left hip DJD, as well as the claim for increased rating for right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy were also denied. Service connection for tinea pedis (athlete's foot) was granted.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not provide evidence to establish an abdominal muscle disorder or service connection for it. The claims of increased ratings and service connection were denied as the evidence did not support the existence of these conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Abdominal Muscle Disorder, Lumbar Spine Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD), Left Hip Dislocation with Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD), Left Lower Extremity Peripheral Neuropathy, Right Lower Extremity Peripheral Neuropathy, Left Knee Instability with DJD, Right Knee DJD, Left Ankle Arthritis, Right Ankle Arthritis, Tinea Pedis (Athlete's Foot)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- January 24, 2018
- Citation
- 1804645
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 1804645.
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
Service connection for OSA is granted, and the Veteran's initial ratings for atrial fibrillation, right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, right upper extremity neuralgia, and left upper extremity neuralgia are all granted at 10 percent.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to a duty to assist error. The VA needs to obtain examination reports and determine if the service-connected conditions meet the criteria for specially adapted housing and special home adaptation grant.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing (SAH) or special home adaptation (SHA) grant due to his respiratory disability, which is presumed by the PACT Act. The Board found that the Veteran does not have a permanent and total disability resulting in anatomical loss of use of both hands, burns, or residuals of an inhalational injury.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran is granted entitlement to SMC at the housebound rate from August 1, 2019, to October 7, 2021, based on his service-connected disabilities.
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