The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral pes planus and varicose veins of the bilateral legs were denied, as well as his increased rating claims for residuals of fractures of the third and fourth metatarsals in both feet. The Board found that new evidence did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate these claims.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claim for service connection was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence, and his varicose veins were not found to be related to his service-connected disabilities. The increased rating claims were denied as there was no indication that the conditions had worsened or warranted higher ratings.
- Claimed conditions
- {"condition_name":"Bilateral pes planus","additional_notes":""}, {"condition_name":"Varicose veins of the bilateral legs","additional_notes":""}
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 4, 2019
- Citation
- 19101163
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
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