The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating prior to July 28, 2017, and a rating in excess of 30 percent thereafter for bilateral flatfoot (pes planus) is denied. The claim of entitlement to an effective date earlier than July 28, 2017 for the assignment of a 20 percent disability rating for disc bulge of lumbar spine with bilateral sacroiliac joint disease with erosive changes is dismissed.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not support a finding that there was a factually ascertainable increase in severity of the Veteran's bilateral flatfoot (pes planus) prior to July 28, 2017. The July 2017 VA examination report showed no symptoms warranting an increased rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Flatfoot (Pes Planus)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- November 12, 2019
- Citation
- A19002668
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,088 · Granted: 33% (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 A19002668.
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 Veteran's claim for a staged rating for bilateral flatfoot higher than 30 percent prior to October 7, 2022, and higher than 50 percent thereafter is denied. The Veteran was previously assigned a 30 percent rating for his flat feet, which has now been increased to a 50 percent rating effective October 7, 2022.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's initial compensable rating for bilateral flatfoot prior to April 11, 2018 was denied.,The Veteran's claim of a higher rating for his bilateral flatfoot disability from April 11, 2018 onwards is remanded due to insufficient evidence.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's preexisting pes planus did not increase in severity during service and denied his claim for service connection.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
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