The Veteran's hallux valgus of the left foot existed prior to service and was not aggravated during service. The Veteran is denied an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD.,The Veteran’s pseudofolliculitis barbae has been diagnosed, but there is no credible evidence suggesting it was incurred in service. The Veteran's skin condition is therefore not service-connected.
The deciding factor: The pre-existing hallux valgus of the left foot did not increase in severity during service and thus cannot be considered aggravated.,There is insufficient evidence to establish that the Veteran’s pseudofolliculitis barbae was incurred or aggravated by service, as there are no records indicating it developed during service.
- Claimed conditions
- hallux valgus of the left foot, pseudofolliculitis barbae
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 11, 2018
- Citation
- 18156818
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 18156818.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied an initial compensable disability rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae as the Veteran's condition did not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae and a sleep disability, claimed as sleep apnea, due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, as it is unclear whether the Veteran's claimed conditions are due to any incident of his period of active service.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the claims for service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae, left foot swelling/pain, a left ankle condition, and tinnitus.
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