The Veteran's bilateral pes planus claim is denied. The Board finds that the weight of the evidence does not support a finding that her bilateral pes planus was aggravated by service or her service-connected knee disabilities. For her right knee disability, the Board finds no basis to grant an initial rating in excess of 20 percent prior to November 9, 2009, and grants a 60 percent rating as of that date. The Veteran's left knee disability is also rated at 60 percent since November 9, 2009.
The deciding factor: The Board found no evidence of aggravation of the Veteran's bilateral pes planus by her service-connected knee disabilities and denied the claim for service connection. For her right knee disability, the Board determined that a rating in excess of 20 percent prior to November 9, 2009, was not warranted based on the lack of evidence showing flexion limited to 15 degrees or less. The Board also found no basis to grant an initial rating in excess of 60 percent for her right knee disability as of that date. For her left knee disability, the Board determined that a rating in excess of 20 percent prior to May 3, 2004, and in excess of 10 percent thereafter was not warranted based on the lack of evidence showing flexion limited to 30 degrees or less.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Pes Planus, Right Knee Patellofemoral Syndrome with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (right knee disability), Left Knee Strain with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (left knee disability)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 1, 2018
- Citation
- 1827540
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 1827540.
What this means for you
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for an initial compensable rating for athletes' foot and a greater than 30 percent rating for bilateral pes planus have been dismissed due to untimely VA Form 10182 submissions.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome has been remanded.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection for traumatic brain injury is granted, and he is awarded a higher level of SMC based on the need for aid and attendance due to his service-connected PTSD and additional disabilities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient medical evidence in the file on which to decide these claims. The appellant's VA treatment records contain diagnoses of GAD and OSA, and he reported symptoms related to his disabilities during service. A new examination and opinion are required to determine if the acquired psychiatric disorder is associated with service, as well as for OSA and bilateral pes planus and plantar fasciitis.
- Granted
The Board has granted a higher initial rating of 100 percent for PTSD effective April 3, 2024, and assigned an earlier effective date of August 29, 2024, for allergic rhinitis. The Veteran's claim for DEA benefits and a higher initial rating for bilateral pes planus is denied.
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