The Veteran's claim for a left foot hammer toe condition is denied as there is no evidence of such a condition during service or related to his service-connected pes planus.,The effective date for the grant of service connection for right inguinal hernia scar cannot be earlier than August 16, 2012 due to lack of prior claim within one year of discharge from service.,The effective date for the grant of service connection for other specified trauma and stressor-related disorder cannot be earlier than August 27, 2012 as there was no prior claim within one year of discharge from service.,Service connection is remanded for a low back condition secondary to pes planus due to lack of medical evidence linking the condition directly to service or to a service-connected disability.,Service connection is also remanded for a bilateral hip condition secondary to pes planus due to lack of medical evidence linking the condition directly to service or to a service-connected disability.,Service connection is also remanded for a bilateral knee condition secondary to pes planus due to lack of medical evidence linking the condition directly to service or to a service-connected disability.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claim for left foot hammer toe was not supported by competent and credible evidence showing a current diagnosis, as his right foot had been diagnosed with a hammer toe but not his left.,There is no prior communication indicating the Veteran’s intent to seek service connection for right inguinal hernia scar before August 16, 2012.,The Veteran did not file a claim within one year of discharge from service for other specified trauma and stressor-related disorder. The earliest effective date would be August 27, 2012.,VA medical records show no evidence of a low back condition during service or related to pes planus.,VA medical records do not provide sufficient evidence to determine if the bilateral hip condition is directly attributable to service or secondary to pes planus.,VA medical records do not provide sufficient evidence to determine if the bilateral knee condition is directly attributable to service or secondary to pes planus.
- Claimed conditions
- left hammer toe, right inguinal hernia scar, other specified trauma and stressor-related disorder, low back condition, bilateral hip condition, bilateral knee condition
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 18, 2018
- Citation
- 18119160
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 18119160.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's service connection for other specified trauma and stressor-related disorder with persistent depressive disorder, anxious distress, and pure dysthymic syndrome was granted. The appeal for PTSD is dismissed as moot because the issue has been rendered irrelevant by the grant of service connection in another appeal stream.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a shoulder condition, bilateral knee condition, and right hip condition. The Veteran's claims were based on current diagnoses of these conditions but the evidence did not support an in-service injury or disease.,The Board also noted that there was no nexus between the current disabilities and service due to lack of in-service complaints or injuries.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection of his low back condition, finding that it is related to his military service.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically other specified trauma and stressor-related disorder, which the Veteran contends is related to in-service helicopter incidents. The decision finds that the evidence supports a finding of a nexus between the current condition and service.
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