The Board denied an earlier effective date for the Veteran's 40 percent evaluation for bilateral flatfeet, finding that no claim was made before August 27, 2007.
The deciding factor: The claims file did not contain a valid claim or application from the Veteran indicating intent to apply for an increased rating of his service-connected bilateral flatfeet prior to August 27, 2007.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral flatfeet
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- April 4, 2019
- Citation
- 19125086
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,242 · Granted: 24% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 19125086.
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
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and a need for further examination.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal regarding his service connection for bilateral flatfeet was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran during the pendency of the appeal.
- Granted
The Veteran's disability rating for bilateral flatfeet and plantar fasciitis was reduced from 30% to 10%, effective November 1, 2024. The claim is granted as the reduction was improper.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral flatfeet, left ankle pain, left hip pain, right hip pain, lower back pain, and right ankle pain to obtain a VA examination.
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