The Board has determined that the April 1978 rating decision denying service connection for a left flat foot disability is not clearly and unmistakably erroneous. The Veteran's pre-existing condition was found to be not aggravated by active duty.
The deciding factor: The RO applied the correct legal criteria (38 C.F.R. § 3.306) in finding that the Veteran's pre-existing left flat foot did not increase in severity during service, thus no aggravation occurred.
- Claimed conditions
- left flat foot
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 3, 2019
- Citation
- A19001746
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,104 · Granted: 28% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 A19001746.
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: Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right flat foot as there is no current diagnosis of these conditions, and the evidence does not support a finding that they are related to service.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's lumbosacral strain with spondylosis was granted service connection. The claims for left and right flat feet were remanded.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for left and right shoulder osteoarthritis, headaches as secondary to PTSD, but denied aggravation of pre-existing left flat foot. The appeals for right knee and left knee conditions were dismissed.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to the cumulative effects of his service-connected disabilities, and the Board has granted entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.